Marriage Therapy
by BloodyBrilliantRuthie
Summary: COMPLETE! Hermione was loved by two men, both in a battle of wills to be the one to have her. Who will she choose and would choosing the wrong one cost her her life? Sequel to Sex Therapy in the Dungeons. AU
1. Chapter 1

**Marriage Therapy**

**by**

**BloodyBrilliantRuthie**

Summary: Hermione finds herself in a loveless marriage and pursued by another. Sequel to _Sex Therapy in the Dungeons_. AU

PLEASE read _Sex Therapy in the Dungeons_ first. Happy reading!

**CHAPTER ONE**

Sitting back on soft and supple leather, Hermione was taken by the immense comfort the chair offered. It seemed prudent, albeit inappropriate, to be concentrating on her physical comfort, but thinking of anything other than the bullshit her husband was dolling out just seemed more palatable. After all, she was never one to eat shit.

It seemed logical to have soft and comfortable chairs in one's office for patients to feel comfortable, as physical comfort is easily extended to psychological comfort. As a therapist herself, she knew that psychological comfort could lead to self-disclosure. Apparently, her husband was feeling very comfortable, because he was currently in the process of telling their therapist of his _inability to please his wife because his father never loved his mother and he's internalized that void and translated it toward his wife_.

He was so dead.

She thought about intervening on his behalf. After all, for therapy to work they have to be completely honest with the therapist. But, after her husband's current display of pop-psychology, she figured he would dig himself so deep that his bullshit would eventually choke him. He was effectively floating in a sea of self-denial. It was classic avoidance behavior, blaming others for one's choices. She only hoped that the plump gentleman with greasy, crisp-filled fingers seated opposite them would see her husband's crap for what it was.

"Mrs…" the rotund man began.

"Please, doctor, call me Hermione," she asked him for what seemed like the tenth time.

"Yes, of course, I apologize for reverting to the convenience of formalities. It is rather a hard habit to break." Hermione responded with a simple smile, one she knew stretched none-too-wide on her face, and definitely didn't reach her eyes.

"Hermione, how do you feel about what your husband is disclosing?" he asked, pen held firmly in his hand as it hovered over his crisp, lined paper. Precariously positioned, prepared to strike and blemish the page with his opinions of her life.

"Disclosing?" she asked horrified at his apparent ineptitude. "My husband, doctor, is doing nothing of the sort! He is effectively manipulating you into believing his sorry tale."

The doctor evidently learned one thing in school, as he only looked on, sweetly expecting her to continue without further prompting.

"Doctor," she said, with all the false sweetness she could muster, "my husband chooses not to please me. He chooses not to care about my sexual pleasure. He chooses to make love as fast as he can and then rolls over and feigns sleep."

"I don't feign sleep. I'm actually asleep. Making love to you leaves me fatigued."

"Remus, you don't make love to me."

"I love you darling. Of course I make love to you."

"I'm nothing more to you than a hole in the wall. You don't please me, Remus, because you don't try."

"Maybe I don't try because you're too busy fantasizing about being with someone else."

"What?"

"Hermione, don't make me say it."

"Say WHAT?" she challenged. "How dare you insinuate that I would want anyone other than you! You are my husband! I love you and I chose to spend my life with you! YOU, Remus J. Lupin, not anyone else!"

With a quirk of his brow, he gave her an uncharacteristic look of self-importance. "You talk in your sleep, my dear."

He teased, provoked, and challenged her with one simple sentence and held her undivided attention. Now, that was skill. Getting hit over the head with an anvil might not hurt as much as his unstated implication. Despite not knowing the truth of her own subconscious, she attempted to reign in her fears and put on a brave front.

He looked at her in an apparent search for some sort of confirmation to his unstated allegations, and with sadness in his eyes he turned away and made for the door.

She broke free from her trance and bolted out of her chair and seized his arm as he reached for the doorknob, preventing his departure. "I'm not paying this bloke two hundred pounds a session for you to run away!"

"Run away?" he asked in amazement. "How selfish do you think me? I'm leaving, my dear, so as to not embarrass you!"

"Say what you need to say, Remus. I can handle it. I'm a big witch."

"Witch?" asked the portly therapist.

Ignoring the inquiry, Remus goaded, "Maybe your memory would improve if I donned a wig."

Her world simply and effectively stopped. Her husband, in one solitary moment turned her world up on its head. She was in shock, of that she was sure. She wanted to respond. She knew he was waiting for her to respond, and that every second that ticked by was testament to his veracity. But how could she respond when she couldn't even breathe?

Was it possible? How could he know what her heart harbored when she wasn't even able to make sense of it?

Suddenly she felt strong hands holding her firmly and she looked up at her husband expecting to see fury in his eyes and instead he appeared to be probing, searching …

"No!" She freed herself from his grasp and covered her eyes to shield herself from potential invasion. She protected her mind for what felt like ages with no resistance or struggle. She bravely lowered her hands to find him wearing a painful expression. There was no other word for it; he appeared heartbroken.

"Legilimency? Is that what you really think of me?" He appeared tired and worn. "I would never violate anyone in that manner. Let alone the woman I love."

The third person in the room made a noise. "Legili–what?" the corpulent therapist asked, his triple chin jiggled as he angled his head in query.

Remus continued as if they were the only persons in the room, "Just what are you hiding, my wife?"

"Remus, I'm not hiding anything! Just say it, please! Stop playing games with me and say it!"

With apparent years' worth of frustration and jealousy, he bellowed, "Ronald Weasley!"

Mouth agape, she stared at him. Whether from relief that he'd guessed wrong, or just from astonishment at the name he said, she couldn't respond. She couldn't believe he was jealous of the ever puerile Ron. They were so mismatched for each other that Remus' jealousy bordered on the insane. Her husband was acting loony.

When her saliva returned, she was finally able to ask, "Ron?"

"Yes, Ron."

"Remus, you're crazy if you really believe that I could ever harbor any romantic feelings for him," she said gravely.

"I'm not crazy, witch, and I'm not stupid! I know!" he screamed. Spittle escaped his mouth adding to his attack on her person. "I know that Ron has feelings for you and I didn't think it mattered until, on our wedding day no less, I saw you snuggle him and you were both shameless."

"Snuggle? Remus, what do you mean, snuggle?"

"Snuggle – to hold, to caress!"

"You're insane…" she began, unable to find emotion with which to deliver her defense. "He's not a teddy bear. I hugged him. It was my wedding day. I hugged everyone." She followed the crumbs that lead toward the round man. "Doctor, he's insane."

"Mrs. Lupin, or shall I call you witch? You are both certifiably insane!"

His greasy hands dropped his coveted bag of crisps as he cowered in the face of two wands pointed at his pudgy face.

"After you, my dear," Remus said as he sheathed his wand.

"Obliviate!" Hermione intoned.

Remus opened his wallet and dropped two hundred pounds of Muggle currency onto the doctor's lap and extended his arm toward his wife, "Hermione, let's go home."

She held on, thankful that they had had another revealing session with this nice man.

Unfortunately for him, they all seem to end with an Obliviate.

To be continued…

**A/N: Stay tuned, our favorite Slytherin will join us soon. Anyone stunned that she's married to Remus and not Severus? Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Marriage Therapy**

**by**

**BloodyBrilliantRuthie**

**Summary: Hermione finds herself in a loveless marriage and pursued by another. Sequel to _Sex Therapy in the Dungeons_. AU**

**CHAPTER TWO**

Her shoulders relaxed and a feeling of calm descended upon her as she weaved a path through the purple heather. Ahead of her was the castle, her home. Today had been a nice, crisp, cool day. Hermione always loved September. For her it meant renewal and rebirth. From the beginning of school term to her birthday, she always seemed to be replenishing her spirit. Walking toward the castle, the wind picked up and whipped her hair about her face and she was happy she made the choice to Apparate home instead of taking the Floo. She was not interested in going from a stuffy office to a stuffy home. Not today. Not on her birthday. She could only hope that Remus wouldn't mind going out to dinner with her tonight. She wasn't in the mood to stay home and go through the paces of a typical evening at Hogwarts: eating supper surrounded by strident children, followed by strained congeniality at home. An atmosphere that was sometimes chillier than the Scottish moors. No, today was different; special. Today she turned thirty.

What was she going to do about Remus? She'd been asking herself that question for most of their marriage. She loved him, but love no longer seemed to be enough for them. Of one thing she was certain: she would no longer allow Remus to treat her as if she were irrelevant. Of course, she'd been professing that same declaration all along, as well. So, what would be different now? For one thing, she now knew that he had been jealous of Ron this whole time. After the revelations of their last therapy session she'd done her best to assure him otherwise, but her efforts there, too, were rejected.

Did he not find her desirable? Was she really no longer attractive? Nah. Now, that was just crazy talk.

She was certain that Remus would continue to live like this, regardless. If he loved her, or not, was attracted to her, or not, he seemed content to continue to wallow in his misery. A misery she was certain that he created and coveted. Whether it was self-loathing exclusively for his lycanthropy, or a feeling of unworthiness, perhaps it was jealousy, she didn't know.

Now, she was beginning not to care.

Arriving at the castle much sooner than she expected, or wanted, she felt a sudden desire to flee. Her heart fluttered in anticipation as she considered breaking free of her life and running with the speed of one escaping a Dementor, intent on Kissing her.

Why did that make her think again of Remus? Oh, yes. He was sapping her soul. Someone give that man a shroud.

Where would she go? She considered returning to the Apparition point and traveling somewhere, anywhere, so she could enjoy her birthday and allow the season to wash away her troubles. To revitalize her as it had always done. Even hanging out with Harry and Ron would be preferable than going home to Remus. Maybe she'd snuggle them both! She chuckled to herself, thinking of the absurdity of it all.

Ron…

It was just amazing how Remus could ever be jealous of him. Of course, he was tall, brawny and handsome. Certainly, women threw themselves at him. But, he was her friend. Of course, Harry was her friend, too, and that hadn't prevented them from exploring a sexual relationship. And explore they had. If Remus learned of that he'd go bonkers.

Thinking of Harry and Ron brought about a feeling of melancholy and she wondered what they were up to. She hadn't heard from them all day. And, as dim-witted as they both were, they had never once forgotton her birthday.

Feeling dejected and alone, she ignored her baser instincts to flee and trudged up the castle's stone steps toward her gilded cage. This beautiful castle was once her refuge, her home. Yet now, she despised its very beauty because for her it represented tension, indifference and apathy. She longed for the day when she could set her eyes upon this castle and be filled with wonder and awe for its glory and magnificence. Disappointment took hold as she realized that that day might never return. After all, she wasn't a first year anymore.

Hermione unwarded the door to their chambers and entered. She was confused. It was dark. It was inever/i dark. Remus was as predictable as Dumbledore in a candy shop. He inever/i wavered from his schedule and always sat at his desk with the hearth lit and the curtains open. She wondered where he might be. As she made to light the hearth, a loud roar startled her and she withdrew her wand in defense.

"Surprise!"

Her wand sparked, but, despite the adrenalin fueling her system, she maintained control and didn't fire upon her friends. "You're all lucky I didn't cast the Killing Curse on you!" she jibed, practically collapsing into their embrace.

"Happy Birthday!" she heard the crowd cry in unison. In between embraces, she scanned the room and was emotionally overcome with joy as she saw her friends and family there to celebrate her special day.

She _was_ loved. Not that she ever truly doubted it, but seeing the evidence of their love was especially welcoming. It filled the emptiness in her heart.

On the edge of the crowded room, she saw her husband. Remus almost looked… happy. She wanted to run to him, hug him, and thank him for planning her birthday party. For a moment, he reminded her of _her_ Remus. The Remus he was when they were head-over-heels in love. When he was caring, adorable, passionate and… sane.

She prepared to throw caution to the wind and run into his embrace. Risking rejection, but hoping for acceptance. She wiped her tears, ready to run into her husband's arms, when she was lifted off of her feet in a bear hug that rivaled one from Hagrid. If it wasn't for the two men at either side of her, she thought it could've been the half-giant.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed. "Happy Birthday!" She was surprised at his strength as he pulled her away from Harry's arms and twirled her around. It felt wonderful to be held and accepted for exactly who you are. No strings, no conditions, no jealousy.

"Get away from her, you brute," Harry taunted. She spun out of Ron's embrace, back into Harry's.

"How do you like the little party we set up for you?" Harry asked as he took his turn and twirled her around.

"Harry?" she asked, pulling away to look into his emerald eyes. "You planned this for me?"

"Me, too!" Ron was buoyant and he held her again. She felt as if she'd been Confunded; simultaneously exuberant and irritated. Remus, her _beloved_ husband, did not throw her a birthday party. He did nothing. Not one fucking thing!

Oh, she was no longer confused. She possessed sudden clarity, and was one seriously pissed-off witch!

She blamed herself for having expectations that he couldn't, or wouldn't, meet. He'd turned out to be such a disappointment.

...

"So, you see, gentlemen," she said, dramatically. She was sat across from Ron and Harry, in pure storyteller mode. "I had this witch on my couch with a baritone saxophone nestled between her legs. After several awkward moments, I realized she came to see me because she thought I was a Sax Therapist! Forty minutes later, I had to agree that Vivaldi's Four Seasons was indeed a prime example of woodwind over strings just to get rid of her! But I honestly believe that she was in dire need of my services because of the way she caressed her saxophone. It was clear that she had deeper issues than she was aware of!

The boys guffawed as they leaned against each other for support, and effectively sloshing their drinks around.

"Hermione," her husband said as he beckoned her over with a tilt of his head. She looked towards her friends and realized that she had put him off long enough. It was time to be a grown up and face her husband.

"Oh, Hermione, wait. Don't go. Tell us the story again about the one-hundred-and-nine-year-old wizard you called Willy Wanker! Come on, just one more before you and Remus head off into the moonlight to rut!" Ron, the gormless, hollered louder than a bitch in heat.

"Boys," Remus interjected as Hermione approached him. "You laugh now, but what Hermione is doing for our magical gender is groundbreaking work. If I were you I'd be taking notes, because the time will come when you will have need of her services."

The boys went from guffawing to somber in less time than it took Dumbledore to twinkle. "I hope you boys kept that in mind when buying me a birthday present!" She smiled coyly and went to face her mate.

Although most of her guests had long since departed, Remus walked her toward a private area and looked at her solemnly. "Don't you think it's time that _all _your friends departed?"

"Remus, I can't believe you," she tersely whispered. "These are my friends and they threw this party for me! Not you! Today's my birthday! What did you do for me, Remus?" Her question was valid, yet rhetorical, as she had no intention of allowing him to answer.

"No!" Unable to control her resentment, her whispers increased in volume. "Don't attempt to appease me. I'm in a bad space right now and you put me there!"

"Oh, no, God forbid you get into your bad space."

She just glared at him, unable to respond. Unwilling to respond. He can ignore her, he can leave her unsatisfied, but he will _not_ make fun of her bad space!

"Boys!" she called out as she walked toward them, determined to get away from Remus. "Let's go," she ordered, summoning her cloak.

"Go?" Ron asked, as both he and Harry responded to Hermione's command like Pavlov's dog to his bell. They were instantly ready to depart.

"Hermione, why are you leaving? Where are you going?" Remus asked, apparently astounded at her gall.

Before exiting, Hermione turned in the doorway to address him. "Remus, I'm leaving to get away from you and I'm going to go someplace where you are not." With that, she slammed the door and walked in-between her two stunned friends and away from her bland marriage and monotonous existence.

...

Between the battlements, feigning interest in anything except the clinging lichen, Severus watched the trio ascend the rise to the tree line. Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter, clinging to her, much like lichen. Parasites. The cold wind whipped about the turret. It whistled through the gaps in the doorways and the cracks in the old wooden window frames. Did he detect another sort of aperture? Where cracks were appearing in somebody's marriage? _At last_.

Severus allowed himself a mere frisson of expectation.

All was not well at the Lupins'. He'd suspected as much. Carefully placed hints and suggestions to Remus concerning what women want; adhering to a stringent routine, not making a fuss on their thirtieth birthday, may have not been for naught, after all.

The frisson became a flood. Severus turned to conceal his smile.

To be continued.

**A/N: So, sneaky Severus is pulling some strings in the background! He always takes the hard road to love, doesn't he? That's why we all love him! Thank you to all who have reviewed! You make me so happy! For the others, if you think this story is worthy of "favorite" or "story alert" then please leave me a review, too!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Marriage Therapy**

**by**

**BloodyBrilliantRuthie**

Summary: Hermione finds herself in a loveless marriage and pursued by another. Sequel to _Sex Therapy in the Dungeons_. AU.

A/N: Well, here goes Chapter Three! Many questions are answered in this chapter! But, I'd like to know who would you want Hermione to end up with? Thank you to all those readers and reviewers who let me know that you like this story. YOU all ROCK! Please read and review.

...

CHAPTER THREE

Staring into her merlot, Hermione admired its delicate glow as it reflected the fire from Harry's hearth. Its deep crimson hues danced like jewels in the moonlight, beautiful and precious. She came out of her reverie when the smooth surface of her wine was disturbed. She looked up to see Harry watching her intently as he poured more wine into her glass.

When they departed Hogwarts she didn't know where they would go, so long as it was away from Remus. Grateful for the company of her friends, she proposed they go out drinking. Harry, wiser beyond his years, knew what she needed better than she had – private time with her friends. Sitting quietly in Harry's home, with him and Ron, she found herself calm and in a better space.

"Hermione," Harry said tenderly as he sat beside her and took her hands in his. "Please tell us what's going on with you and Remus."

While she pondered her reply, she focused her attention on thier hands and admired their intertwined fingers. Both hands became as one and shone like a beacon of friendship and love – a simple symbolism created by flesh and bone that spoke volumes. It represented eighteen years of friendship, love and comfort. And yet, despite their camaraderie and Hermione's desperate need for that same comfort, she was hesitant. While she and Harry shared many things, including a passion-filled history, she rarely shared her troubles. As rambunctious and free-spirited as she was, she remained a deeply private person. One who preferred to share her joy instead of her sorrow.

"Harry, Ron," she responded timidly, intently studying her fingernails as she began her tale. "It's difficult to start. I… I almost don't know where to begin."

"Hermione," Ron said as he joined her on the couch. "Why don't you start from the beginning?"

Hermione's laugh was shrill. Sounding neither of abstract misery nor outright amusement, the hideous noise she made could only be likened to a Dementor being tickled. This, at least, made her smile and made it easy for her to open up to her friends.

"Ron, I'm not even certain where the beginning is anymore!" Hermione was exasperated and while she wanted very much to help her friends understand her situation, she wasn't even certain she understood.

"Why are you so angry at Remus?" Harry asked. "What happened?"

"Harry, nothing happened! That's precisely the problem! Nothing ever happens!"

Both men looked perplexed. They both gave her that confused and confounded look men seem to get when confronted by the verity of a woman.

"I don't understand," Harry said. Ron nodded in agreement.

"Simply; Remus and I are not in a healthy relationship. It's like he's a not on the same planet or something." She emphasized her point with the universal hand motion for loopy. "Trust me. I'm a professional and I know crazy!"

Becoming somber, she took another sip from her glass. "We've been married nearly two years and I feel as if I don't even know him anymore. He's apathetic towards me. He's a bore. He's gloomy, dull, and possibly depressed! I am unable to shake him out of his mood. He's become monstrously monotonous. He runs his life on a schedule and does nothing if not planned to the tenth degree. He treats me as if my desires and needs are an effort. And… and…." She paused to consider how much she would tell them of their sexual life, or lack thereof. "Well, let's just say that we're not compatible."

"Hermione, I'm not surprised. And I don't think Harry is either." Ron raised an eyebrow at Harry who slowly nodded in assent. "It never did seem that you and Remus were in love."

"What do you mean?" she said, piercing him with her patented i_don't mess with me_/iglare. "I love him… I do!"

"Hermione," Harry interjected, "I'm certain that you two love each other. It's just that we were confused when you married him. It was a surprise to us. One moment you were seeing Snape and the next you eloped with Remus! You know that we love the bloke, but we love you more. We just want you to be happy."

"Oh, Harry! I want to be happy, too! I turned thirty today, but I feel like an old lady. My life is mind-numbingly boring. In the past two years I've built a successful practice, but at the end of my workday I dread returning home. Yet, return I do, day after day. Always hoping beyond hope, or reason, that Remus will look at me, love me, even desire me…" As soon as that declaration was out of her mouth she realized she'd probably said too much. So much for being a deeply private person.

"He doesn't make love to you?" Ron asked, his astonished eyes widening in a perfect imitation of a lemur.

"The few times we do _make love_ I'm more of a bystander," she said valiantly, despite her quivering lips and her silent tears.

Harry placed his arm around her, and when she leaned her head on his shoulder he kissed the top of her head. She sighed as she felt him breathe against her scalp, gently heating her skin.

"I'm sorry, my love."

With Harry's simple apology she felt vindicated. For too long she wondered and worried whether her feelings of isolation were unfounded and based on her idealized version of what life should be. This apology was proof to her that life should and could be better. With or without Remus, she should and could be happy. The Universe held another understanding of what marriage was and it mirrored her own. Once lost, but thankfully regained and renewed. It was as if she took a giant leap forward and stepped into another dimension, one where she was happy and life was good. And she laughed – laughed as beautifully and as heartily as she once did, in a life that felt so long ago. Her laughter no longer resembled that of a Dementor, for she was renewed, and, dare she hope, transformed back into the Hermione she once was.

Before she could even understand why, she thrilled in seeing her two best friends be joyful with her. Alongside her, they laughed too. Laughing with her and not at her. Laughing because she was finally free of her trapped life, because she was determined to live and be happy. Amazingly, all that was translated through simple laughter.

She truly loved her two best friends.

...

"I'm not certain I understand all the subtle minutia of the female mind…."

"Ron, please. You wouldn't understand 'subtle' if it was a Howler and it blew a raspberry in your face!"

Harry guffawed and tried to prevent Firewhisky spillage through his nostrils.

"The female mind is a mystery, I must admit. But you wizards must live by a single caveat – to honor your wife, to love her, and to bow down to her vastly superior intellect. If you do that, my dear mate, your life will be happy and you'll get laid well and often."

"Hermione, I still don't understand why witches are so obsessed with their age! You're only thirty! Age is just a number, you know."

"You boys wouldn't understand. I'm twenty-nine."

"No, you can't be. We're twenty-nine," Ron responded, brow furrowed in confusion.

"Yeah, Hermione, I just turned twenty-nine this summer."

"Get used to it, boys! I'm twenty-nine today, tomorrow, and for the next several years and I don't want to hear anything more about it!"

In the time-honored tradition of men everywhere, Harry and Ron remained quiet and sipped their drinks.

Hermione chuckled and was pleased they finally got it. They'd learned to shut up and accept a woman's logic.

"Hermione, far be it for me to question a woman _and_ taking a huge risk that I may not even comprehend the answer…."

"That's for certain," Ron interjected.

"But, if I may continue without interruption." Harry smirked as he rolled his eyes toward Ron. "I don't understand why you and Snape split up and why you married Remus."

Harry's question hung in the air like thick smoke. While she clearly understood that she could no longer avoid answering, she felt as if she would suffocate. She was afraid to stumble over her words. Afraid she didn't even know the answer.

Deciding it would be better to get this over with she forged ahead. "Severus is a difficult man," she stated. Harry cleared his throat and Ron choked on his drink in response. She paused a moment, allowing them time to get whatever it was out of their systems.

"Severus and I enjoyed one another's company and in short order I fell in love with him. But we had a tumultuous relationship. He needed to be in control and…" She stopped talking under the guise of being parched and requiring a drink, but in actuality she needed the time to choose her next words carefully. "Whilst I initially reveled in his controlling nature, after a while I didn't much care for it."

"Oh yeah, Hermione, I remember you wanting to be a cave woman or something and wanting a man to _claim_ you and have his way with you. Remember, Harry?" Ron asked, looking for corroboration. "Remember when we tried to, hum, give Hermione what she was looking for?"

"Yeah, I remember all too well, Ron. You were a bumbling fool."

"You didn't get much farther than I did, mate!"

Harry looked toward Hermione and they shared a secret smile. "No, mate, not much farther at all."

"The bottom line, gentlemen, is that Severus is who he is and that will never change." She looked away forlornly as she recalled past events. "I think I realized that soon enough, but I wasn't willing to accept it. Everyone can change. I just expected him to be like everyone else."

"Fat chance," Ron snapped.

"You're right, Ron. I thought I could make him be the one perfect man for me. He already possesses in great quantity, I might add, a biting wit and sharp tongue. Remus is the antithesis of him and I hoped to infuse some of that gentleness into him. Instead, I created a monster. He was jealous of Remus, although getting him to admit to it was like trying to squeeze Hagrid into a phone box. It just wasn't going to happen."

"Jealous of Remus?" Harry asked. "Were you dating Remus as well?"

Hermione could tell from Harry's questions and his countenance that he was more than interested in her answer. He had tried to get her to continue seeing him once she and Severus became exclusive and she had refused.

"Yes, he was jealous of Remus because he knew that Remus had feelings for me. Actually, Remus had been in love with me for quite some time and he hadn't told me. He was allowing me the freedom to live my life, or some other such nonsense."

"So, then why did Snape leave you?"

"Ronald Weasley!" she shrieked. "Even you can't be that dense! Why in Merlin's name would you think that HE left ME?

"For your information, I left HIM! One day he was overly obstinate and rude and was going above and beyond any prior cruelties in badgering Remus and I just couldn't take it anymore!"

Hermione took in a deep breath, an exercise she learned back in first year when dealing with Ronald Weasley, and it never failed to calm her down. "Remus is a good man and he didn't deserve Severus' treatment of him. He was sitting there, accepting all that Severus threw at him with grace and gentleness.

"Severus' outburst, while not directed at me, made me realize that I could never successfully change him; at least, not in the way that I wanted or needed. I could never infuse gentleness into someone so hard and brittle. He was beyond repair.

"I saw before me a choice between the calm and the storm and I'd had had enough of the storm. I left with Remus that night. I didn't intentionally run towards another relationship, but I quickly fell for him and it seemed pointless to waste any more time. He loved me and I loved him. It was easy and comfortable."

"Don't have a go at me, but I think I understand a bit of the female mind. You developed a relationship with Remus because he's the opposite of Snape," Ron exclaimed, overly proud of his deduction and insight into the female mind. "Like you said, he's _easy and comfortable_. But now you don't want _easy and comfortable_ you want excitement again. So, maybe you just need to marry them both?"

"Ron, don't be daft. I can't marry two men." She was clear; it couldn't be done.

Could it?

...

"Boys, you've returned to me my happiness tonight," she said as they nestled closer and held her from either side. "I will embrace my happiness and endeavor to achieve it with Remus or without. I can be happy again and it's up to me to get there."

"Hermione, we are here for you anytime, day or night," Harry said as he squeezed her lovingly.

"I know… and thanks," she said as her tears began to fall.

"Boys, do you realize that we're snuggling?"

...

Severus Snape was tired. This had been the fifth time he'd run up to the battlements in hopes of a glimpse of his beloved. If he were a praying wizard he'd be praying to God for a Muggle escalator. Back and forth, up and down he'd traveled searching for _her_, but every time it had been someone or something else that had breached the sensitive wards surrounding the Hogwarts perimeter. Of the other encounters, the most entertaining was a wandering Remus drifting around aimlessly in the night fog.

Hermione had left him almost two years prior and he couldn't believe that she'd actually married that beast. She was an enigma, strange and beautiful. He could never dominate her as he wished. She was independent and passionate and it saddened him to see the meek woman she'd become. She needed him if she were to become his fiery witch again. Only he could bring that out of her. And he would.

Out of breath, and, he mused, possibly out of his mind, he looked over the ramparts, squinted, and saw his beauty walking as if waltzing through the fog toward the castle. She was his fairytale. She was untamed and unbridled, and now she was just waiting for him to release her from her misery.

Thank God the Dark Lord wasn't around anymore to see how Severus Snape, renowned Death Eater, had turned into a fawning pansy. This woman would certainly be his undoing.


	4. Chapter 4

**Marriage Therapy**

**by**

**BloodyBrilliantRuthie**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

"Hiding away, my dear?" Severus purred his inquiry into Hermione's unsuspecting ear.

Her body jerked in surprise as he'd caught her deep in thought. "Severus! Oh, it's you! I'm sorry. You startled me."

"No need to apologize."

For a human, his ability to purr was akin to foreplay. She responded to his simple words as if he had his hands in her knickers. He should be arrested for assault with a sexy weapon.

"As you may recall, whenever I found it difficult to sleep I would patrol the corridors."

She looked up into his sexy face as he motioned for her to move over and he sat alongside her in the castle's kitchen.

Slinky, a recently hired House-Elf relegated to working the graveyard shift, responded to the snap of Severus' fingers and with the unspoken communication perfected over the months since her hire. She brought him a steaming cup of tea and a slice of pie.

"Severus, is that prune pie?" Hermione asked, unable to hide the smirk forming on her face. "Since when do you eat prune pie? I clearly recall you saying that prunes were for the 'wrinkled generation' and purely for the benefit of clearing one's colon."

He just stared at her.

"Ah, no need to elaborate. I don't think I want to know."

He rolled his eyes and effectively ignored her attempt to annoy him. "You always had trouble focusing on the topic at hand. If I may continue? I was on patrol when I saw you enter the building and I thought to see how you faired today. On this, your birthday."

"Severus," she began, a girlish gleam in her eye upon hearing his recollection of her birthday.

"Why are you staring?" he asked as her mouth fell open in imitation of a trout.

"Severus, you remembered my birthday," she stated incredulously.

"When have I ever _failed_ to remember your birthday, my dear? You may have repeatedly called me a 'heartless bastard', but I have always put you first. Or has married life dulled your memory?"

"Yes," Hermione stated, her voice seemingly devoid of emotion. In fact, she could almost feel her brain getting as mushy as peas. This man was a true enigma. She had never felt on solid ground with him. He would unbalance her, and then keep her guessing his every move. And now he was doing it again.

He had been unpredictable at a time when she craved stability. When she left him, she hoped to move toward a more stable footing. Instead she'd found monotony and apathy.

She just couldn't win.

She rubbed her eyes in an attempt to wipe away the effects of the evening's alcohol from her system _and_ prepare herself for a conversation with Mr. Unpredictable.

"'Yes,' married life has dulled your memory or 'yes,' you recall my exemplary treatment of you?"

He twinkled. The bastard twinkled as he goaded her. He knew he wasn't exemplary. Well, at least not in every area, but definitely in one particular area that she missed desperately.

"Severus, I don't know who Confunded you, but you were never _exemplary_. Your reality is sorely lacking. Maybe you speak of your treatment of your current witch, but your memory apparently fails when it comes to me."

"Maybe you'd like me to qualify what _exemplary_ is?"

"Certainly, Severus, I'll play along," she said stoically. Although she was secretly disappointed that Severus didn't take her bait and disclose if he had a current partner or not.

It bothered her. Of course, she had no reason for this to trouble her. In her warped and apparently selfish mind she wanted him available, whether or not she chose to pursue him. That was of no consequence.

"A bath doesn't draw itself." He allowed his statement to speak for itself.

"It was charmed to draw itself every day, Severus."

"No. It _was_ charmed, but a charm like that does not extend beyond the initial incantation. I charmed it daily for your comfort… _Basic Charms 101_, Hermione. Professor Flitwick would turn green if he knew you forgot such a simple Charms tenet."

"Okay, Severus, so you flicked your wick once a day for my benefit. You think that's exemplary behavior?"

"Who was it that cured you of your 'high threshold' problem?"

"You did, Severus. But all you did was put some ingredients together in a cauldron and stir." She was excited to be bantering with him and was even proud of her quick come back. That is until she saw the hurt in his eyes. He was effectively unbalancing her again.

"You have an uncanny ability, my dear, to reduce my efforts to near nothing." He pushed his untouched pie away and stood up to leave.

"Hermione, I shall leave you to your thoughts. But I will remind you that I have never been a heartless bastard toward you, despite your selective memory." He reached out and tenderly held her by the chin to lift her gaze and she fell into the depths of his ebony eyes. "I changed… only for you."

She looked at him and sensed his sincerity. She wanted to stop him. Although she didn't want him to leave, she couldn't find a way to save the situation.

"You are correct, Hermione. I was, and am, a 'heartless bastard.' But only toward others, never you." He turned his gaze away from her and appeared to collect himself.

"I apologize for taking up your time. I hope you had a nice birthday." He reached into his pocket and left a small and elegantly wrapped packaged next to her and turned to leave.

"Ah, and Mrs. Lupin," he purred, getting her full attention. "There is no 'current' witch."

With that declaration, he was out the door seemingly with purpose. He walked away quickly and billowy. Either he had somewhere to go at three in the morning, or he needed to get away from her as quickly as possible. Hermione surmised it was the latter.

He had shown her some emotion tonight, exposing his vulnerability. By God, he was a real person… and a strange one too. All she ever wanted was to see his vulnerable side. Well, tonight she got it. Unfortunately, this revelation was two years too late. She was now a married woman. Unhappily, but married, nonetheless.

She picked up the small square gift Severus had placed on the table and turned it over in her hands. It was light. She couldn't begin to imagine what present he would give her, especially one so light and small. No engagement ring in there, that was for certain.

She twisted the gilded ribbon and slowly peeled back the opalescent wrapper. It was beautifully wrapped and unfortunate that to get to the gift within she would have to destroy its outer beauty. She opened the small box and revealed a delicate charm. She slowly removed it and realized it was a necklace. A lotus flower made of ivory on black leather rope. It was beautiful and intricate. She turned it over in her hands and wondered why Severus would give her a lotus flower, let alone one made of fine ivory.

It was lovely and full of meaning. The lotus flower was reputably revered for its strength and its beauty. It represented life, a difficult time overcome and renewed, and changed into something even more beautiful than before! She was renewed and invigorated with his beautiful gift and sentiment. She was certain that he knew the meaning of the lotus flower and he must have also realized that she would know it as well.

It was a message! But, of what? While beautiful, it wasn't a romantic message, that was clear. It didn't bespeak of love, or even sex. It was of life and of a beautiful transformation.

Euphoria filled her heart and mind. She was elated and quickly placed the lotus around her neck and admired it. It was a wonderful gift and she would have to find Severus soon to thank him. She thought about going to his rooms, but then thought better of it. It was, after all, past three in the morning and despite her innocent intentions, it would not appear proper for a married woman to be in her former lover's rooms at this late hour.

No, she'd have to thank him tomorrow but for now she would return to her rooms. Immediately her euphoria fled and her heart filled with trepidation. She'd have to face Remus' wrath. Of that, she was sure. He would be none too pleased at her entering the house at this time of night… or morning, as it were.

Earlier this evening, while she was with Harry and Ron, she had realized that she could and should be happy. She was going to find her happiness. She held onto her lotus flower like a lifeline to her independence and to the transformation that she hoped to achieve soon; whether with Remus or without him. She held onto it like holding onto her destiny, as she made her way to her rooms prepared to do battle.

A/N: Gosh! You guys don't review! It's getting me down in the dumps! Please, if you like it, if you want me to continue, please leave a review and let me know.


	5. Chapter 5

**Marriage Therapy – CHAPTER FIVE**

She was a grown witch. Yet, she found herself tiptoeing into her rooms. She told herself she didn't want to disturb Remus, but she couldn't lie to herself. She didn't want to wake him, but, more importantly, she didn't want to face him.

She should not have left him last night, and with harsh words no less. However, she had been angry with him, and no man would ever dictate to her what she could or could not do. For someone who was generally apathetic towards her, Remus had crossed the line in demanding that her friends leave the party. It was her birthday party, a party that he didn't even plan. Why should he care?

Regardless, last night she _found_ herself. She found her determination and her drive to be happy. Harry, Ron and, ironically enough, even Severus had been instrumental in helping her find her strength.

So why was she light-footed around her own home? She told herself it was only common courtesy, of course.

Her brain was in overdrive and she wasn't going to be able to get to sleep. Thank God tomorrow – or was that today? – was Saturday and her office was closed. She would use that time to think about her future.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she noticed Remus slink his way out of the darkness and into the lounge. He apparently was a closet Slytherin. He looked angry and his anger was definitely directed at her. The situation was even more worrisome for Hermione as Remus didn't speak. It would've been easier had he screamed and yelled. Then, at least, she would know what he was thinking, but he was silent as he walked toward her. The darkness underneath his eyes gave away his condition. He, apparently, hadn't slept either. He looked eerily similar in appearance as he did after his transformations. She quickly looked beyond Remus, out the nearest window and into the inky night sky at the crescent moon. The full moon was still weeks away. No chance in him hurting her… was there?

She was in an interesting situation. She didn't want to appear fearful of him, and give him that control over her. Regardless, he was a threatening figure as he slowly walked toward her. Darkness enveloped him like a shroud.

She turned her gaze away from him in her attempt to show her lack of concern towards his menacing demeanor. Instead, she stared into the barely lit hearth, watching the diminishing flames. The dying flames troubled her, as she realized they represented her marriage. For someone uninterested in the art of divination she was certainly seeing signs and reading a lot into her life today.

Unable to ignore his advance anymore, she turned toward him and looked him in the eyes. He was dark and not himself. He stopped his advance, finally standing before her as she sat on the couch. As if in slow motion, he reached behind him and brought out a package. The necklace Severus had given her felt suddenly heavy around her neck as he handed it to her and joined her on the couch. He had given her a gift. She stared at the gift nestled in her hands and then looked at him. No one had yet to speak.

Should she open it, fling it at him?

"I've been waiting up for you," he said finally breaking the deadly silence.

_Oh, that makes all the difference in the world_, she thought facetiously. Should she now hug him? No, maybe she should snuggle him; forgive and forget.

"I was out," she responded a bit too tersely. While in a silent battle of wills, even she knew her reply had too much bite.

"Yes, I recall you leaving in a huff and quite upset with me," he said as he continued to stare at her, almost stripping down her defenses as if seeing through her. She had nothing to hide, nothing to be ashamed of, but his stare made her feel guilty.

"Where were you, Hermione?"

"I was with my friends. You saw me leave with them. It was…." She paused as she thought what to say next. "Enlightening."

"I'm not happy that you left," he growled. His threatening message was clear.

"Knowing and owning your own feelings is completely beneficial to the healing process, Remus."

He leaned forward until she could smell his stale breath and then he yelled, "Don't therapize me!"

His _feelings_ statement was too good to pass up and she reverted to her professional training. Unfortunately, after two years of therapizing him, he was on to her.

"Remus, if you want to talk with me then talk. If you scream at me again I will hex you into next week! Do you understand me? I am not a fawning doe or withering flower! I can take care of myself!"

He placed both hands on his face and rubbed hard. He was tired and angry – not a good combination.

"Hermione." His gravelly voice finally gave way and exposed _her_ Remus. "What is happening to us? Why are we always arguing? I love you and I only want you happy. I can't stand the sadness anymore or the indifference. You don't care for me anymore. I can tell. You don't want to make love to me and you treat me like an idiot, someone who doesn't even matter to you. Hermione, you used to love me, and care for me, and treat me like I was the only important man in your life. B…but," he stammered, his diatribe losing steam, "but I can't do this anymore. Today, on your birthday, you should've been here with me, not out with your two lovers."

"WHAT?" she screamed. He had her completely off kilter. For once, he expressed his feelings clearly, but they so mirrored her own that she was taken aback and found that she could hardly breath. Then his ridiculous and unfounded jealousy returned showing that his foray into loony land had not been a figment of her imagination.

"I know about you and Harry! Remember the night I performed Legilimency on you? I saw you both and I know you haven't stopped sleeping with him! And then Ron! How could you, Hermione? I loved you!"

"I may have had a sexual relationship with Harry," she screamed back at him as she stood up in her attempt to be on an equal footing, "but that all ended long before we even married! As for Ron, you're just crazy, Remus! You're loony!"

He made to lunge at her. She didn't know if he meant to harm her or just scream at her further. Regardless, she'd had enough. Her quick wand reflexes had him bound and gagged. She ran out of their chambers and she hoped never to return.

Hermione found herself standing in front of Severus' chambers in the dungeons. She'd known this place well and had even called it her home several years ago. Once she'd fled him, too, but never had she been afraid of him as she became of Remus tonight. She breathed in deeply, prepared to knock, and make her former home her refuge.

She opened her eyes, her knuckles preparing to knock when the door to Severus' chambers flung open and he emerged, bare-chested, tousled from sleep and looking half-mad himself. "Do you know what time it is, Mrs. Lupin?"

"Severus, please, I need to come in," she said, her voice trembling, as she scanned the corridor nervously.

He let her in and quickly closed the door behind her, charming the door against entry.

He turned away from the door, and she surprised herself as she felt the need to run into his embrace. He couldn't know why she was upset, but he allowed her comfort. Hermione held him tightly, unable to control her emotions as she sobbed into his chest, ignoring the tickling sensation created by his sparse hair. He soothed her, smoothed her hair and held her gently. With her face pressed into his bare chest, she consciously recognized the impropriety of the situation, but at the moment, she didn't care. He was comforting, and she felt safe in his arms.

"Hermione, come… sit down and tell me what is wrong." His smooth baritone voice smoothed her nerves as much as his touch had.

As Hermione collected herself, Severus placed a hot mug into her hands. Severus had made her tea. She looked up into his unfathomable eyes and smiled in thanks for the kind gesture.

"Well, are you going to sit on my couch all morning and drink tea? In exchange for my protection, all I get is that weak smile in gratitude?" he smirked. His words were harsh but his face belied his words.

"Severus, what do you desire in return?" she asked as she placed her mug on the table and sat back, enjoying Severus' teasing.

"Oh, my darling, Hermione. What a loaded question!" He sat on the sofa and held her close. He looked into her eyes and slowly brought his face close to hers. Time stood still and she could feel his warm breath across her face. He would kiss her. She shouldn't allow it, but she needed his succor.

He kissed her tenderly on her forehead and leaned back, a teasing smile graced his lips. "Hermione, tell me what's troubling you."

"Severus, it's Remus. He went into a jealous rage."

"Your dangerous werewolf of a husband is jealous and you came _here_?" he asked incredulously. "How do you think he'll feel about that?"

"He'll be mad. But I'm certain he can't get any madder. He's loony, Severus. He's bonkers, bananas, crackers, loopy. He's… he's just not in his right mind."

"Yes, yes, I get the point."

"He's made terrible accusations, all unfounded and baseless, and…." She paused as she thought of how much she should tell him. After all, his own temper has been known to rival that of a Hungarian Horntail.

"Tell me, Hermione."

"He was very angry with me, Severus. It looked like… like he was going to harm me. That's when I left and came here."

"Are you hurt?" he asked, as he moved his hands over her exposed skin attempting to ascertain any injuries. "Did he attempt to stop you?"

"I used a binding spell and tied him where he stood. I then fled." Unable to help herself, she began to cry. She didn't like to be vulnerable, but at least in front of Severus, she knew that he wouldn't chastise her. Not after what she'd been through.

He held her close as she cried. She was exhausted and could barely keep herself awake. She'd been awake for almost twenty-four hours and needed to sleep. She leaned against his warm body, and as her senses filled with his warmth, his strength, and musky scent, she closed her eyes and welcomed sleep.

**A/N: WOW! Another chapter under my belt! It feels so good to get these done and posted! So, what do you think? Love it? Hate it? Love to Wartcap, my beta and friend.**


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

The morning dew clung to the decorative lead windows that hung high on the dungeon walls. The sun was rising. Slowly it warmed and evaporated the dew, the last vestiges of the night before. Limited though his view was, Severus watched as daybreak appeared, glowing red on the horizon. He regretted the morning's arrival because sunlight brought with it stark reality. Although Hermione was in his arms, she no longer belonged to him. He'd have to forgo his fantasies for now, which flourished by the light of the waning stars. He was content to hold onto his former lover, for a while, if not for an eternity.

Of course he could relish their current position, insensate as she was. He recalled fondly the wonderful combination that was a sleeping Hermione. Not only had she looked beautiful, but she was also, thankfully, silent. Once she moved in, he had learned to appreciate that brilliant combination. Intolerable as she was on occasion, she was also practical, unpredictable and unfettered. All in one nicely shaped package.

He smiled to himself as he inhaled her scent. Vanilla and lavender were familiar aromas to him; synonymous with iher/i. His thoughts wandered to her unfortunate marriage to that mongrel. He hadn't wanted to lose her, and especially not to Remus. When whispers of their marriage had reached him, rage had gripped him so tightly that everything in sight seemed to be colored in a crimson veil. Thanks to the healing benefits of Ogden's Old, he found himself actually desiring her happiness. He loved her enough to let her go, if that's what she truly wanted. Come to think of it, that probably wasn't due to the healing benefits of the famous whisky, but more to do with its numbing properties. Regardless, Ogden's Old Firewhisky always set him right.

Fawning over a witch was definitely not macho. He'd turned into such a pansy. The Dark Lord would have dressed him in a tutu and cast _Crucio_ on him until he was a drooling, babbling idiot. He wasn't far off the mark as it stood. This witch would definitely be the death of him.

Severus carefully extricated Hermione from his arms, now numb and tingly from holding her in an awkward position, and leaned her gently against the couch. He looked at her as she leaned over in her sleep and slumped against the armrest of the couch in a seemingly uncomfortable position. Her body appeared contorted. If she spent any real amount of time in that position she would be in a bad state when she woke. He learned long ago to never do anything that would trigger her ibad space/i. With this in mind, he thought of where to place her. His bed would be the most comfortable…

Slowly the corners of his mouth expanded, forming a most evil and cunning smile. And as his smile grew the shrewdness of his thoughts was palpable. This was a smile the Grinch would have been proud of.

Of course, he would ensure that she was most comfortable. Only one place in his chambers would provide her with the rest she so obviously required. After all, what kind of host and protector would he be if he didn't ensure her utmost comfort?

Wicked smile in place, he cradled her in his arms and brought her to his bed. He stared at her longingly. He was worse than a schoolgirl with a crush. He realized the sad state he was in, but he could only look on thoughtfully as he noticed she wore his lotus flower. He hoped she recognized the symbol of life and rebirth. She was in a sad state herself, and would require reawakening to return to her former vibrant self.

Wistfully, if one could ever call him thus, Severus sighed and made to exit his rooms before he fawned over the witch too much.

Only she could cause this distressing reaction in him. It was most uncomfortable and extremely curious.

With some quick modifications to ensure her maximum comfort, he was prepared to leave when he heard her call out his name. He returned to her, but she remained asleep. She was dreaming, and murmured his name as she embraced his pillow. With a smug and arrogant smirk, he extended his arm and stroked the delicate ivory of the lotus flower.

As he admired the charm, he noticed something on her shoulder, partly concealed by her blouse. Slowly, as to not wake her, he gently pulled her blouse aside to reveal the entire mark. It was a symbol he recognized, and his body trembled with anger. He felt a rumble in his throat, and he held back a cry of rage and fury. Crimson colored his vision.

He knew this symbol. He had only seen it once before, but it was a symbol well documented. He wondered why Hermione never mentioned it. Well, not that she would have mentioned it to him – former lover and all that rot. After all, it was really none of his business. However, that was not how he saw it. This concerned him, as much as if he were the one Marked.

It was the symbol of the werewolf's mate. A mark of legend, as old as time itself. A physical symbol, fortified by magic, of the mated female, tied for all eternity to her mate. It was currently seen as a form of slavery in the modern age. After all, if legend was to be believed, there was no equivalent of the mark for the female werewolf to mark _her_ mate. While Hermione was a complicated woman, he could never imagine her willingly allowing anyone to mark her as their mate. The Mark, if abused, could force the chosen female into a lifelong obligation, regardless of her feelings one way or the other.

Maybe she didn't realize its significance. She must know that the Mark magically bound her to be the lifelong mate of the wolf. The situation had now turned critical. Not only did it put a severe damper on his plans, but he was incensed for her. For now, he would have to modify his strategy to woo Hermione back and step up his operation. He would do whatever he had to do in order to save Hermione from a life tied to that filthy wolf.

...

He left his chambers focused on his destination. He remained angry, but he knew what he would have to do. It would not be easy. If he were right, she would fight him with her entire being. However, he would do this. She will be his again, despite the insurmountable odds. He only hoped that he could find a way to save her… hoping against hope that she wanted saving.

Severus walked toward his destination with resolve. His robes billowed, displaying his arrogance caused by the extra spring in his step. At this early hour on a Saturday morning, he met few students in the corridors, and those he did meet made effort to avoid him.

It was good to be feared.

He reached his destination, unwarded the door, knocked and entered, without preamble. Upon entrance his face brightened at seeing a bound and gagged Remus Lupin struggling on the floor in the middle of a very messy living room. From the state of the rug, it appeared that Remus had been busy struggling to free himself from his magical ties.

Remus was in a sorry state and it made Severus' heart sore with happiness. He was so happy he was practically giddy. If one would ever dare call him 'giddy.'

"Well, well, Lupin. Too tied up, I see, to answer your own door?" Severus smirked as he taunted his rival. "What a terrible host you are. It is no wonder that Hermione left you."

Remus looked up at him with a murderous rage. His eyes were red and, although incapacitated, Severus had to admit that he looked dangerous. He was glad that Hermione was the kind of woman who could take matters into her own hands and protect herself.

"Ah, yes, I see that you continue to be an inept host. Dare I sit down and relax?" Severus asked, as he sat down on the sofa and stretched his legs comfortably. "It appears that I do dare." He lounged in Remus' presence, in his rooms, on his sofa, completely uninvited, and Severus enjoyed every moment. All the while Remus glared at him with apparent murderous intent. This was going to get interesting – fast.

"Remus, I suggest you stop playing around and listen to what I have to say, as I do not intend to repeat myself." Severus waited until Remus realized that he would not speak further until he was attentive. It was only when Remus stopped struggling with his binds and looked at Severus intently that Severus began.

"Remus, you are a fool of the highest order. Firstly to befriend me, your wife's former lover, and secondly for being so gullible as to heed my advice on marriage and women.

"You are a grand simpleton. Did you honestly believe that I would give you any sound advice?" Severus waved his hand as if to dismiss any response from Remus, despite his current inability to respond at all.

"I know that Hermione is not here. I know that she bound and gagged you because you deserved it. I know that yesterday was her birthday and instead of treating her like a queen you treated her as if she were a subordinate. I know all of this because she came to me." Severus relished Remus' ire. "Oh yes, Remus Lupin, she came to me for protection and…" he let his statement hang in the air hoping that Remus' mind would fill in the blanks and come to the wrong conclusion.

"Well, let's just say that Hermione is currently in _my_ chambers, sleeping in _my_ bed, after several hours of discussion and… more." Remus needn't know that the 'more' was just Hermione sleeping.

"She left you and immediately came to me. Not only for protection but for my support, and… comfort," Severus said with great emphasis. He loved the dramatic way in which his voice, replete with a gentle timber, suggested grand impropriety.

Remus didn't take this news well. He was seething. So furious was he that he was salivating like a baby. Somebody give this man a pacifier! As Remus indulged himself in his temper-tantrum, Severus had an opportunity to take in his surroundings with greater care. Severus found an unwrapped gift lying on the other end of the sofa. He was lounged on Remus' sofa as if everything was right in the world. At the moment it was. He was intrigued with the gift as it could only be Remus' gift to Hermione for her birthday, one that she apparently never opened. He could only hope that it was a gift she didn't icare/i to open.

With wandless magic, Severus Summond the gift toward him, and that was when he knew that he got Remus' goat. Remus, although unable to break free from his binds, jerked his body so that with this continued movement, he was actually advancing toward Severus, with every jerk of his body. And he was moving quickly.

Severus might be cocky, but that wasn't synonymous with stupid. He leaned toward the other end of the sofa, grabbed the gift, and bounded up and out of Remus' path. If this gift spiked Remus' ire, Severus would take it, if for no other reason than to swell Remus' rage. Not to mention that he was damned curious as to what kind of gift Remus would give his wife.

Severus, now clear from any continued feeble attempt at attack, bounced the gift in his right hand. He caught it and threw it up again, taunting Remus with his playful nature. "Hermione doesn't need your gifts. Didn't you notice her lovely new necklace? It was a birthday gift from yours truly. It was wonderful how she opened it and immediately wore it. She loves it because it was from me."

Remus growled a low deep growl that would make any man shudder. Any man that wasn't Severus Snape. When jerking around the room was ineffective, when snarling and temper-tantrums no longer worked, he turned toward the typical mongrel response. How lovely for him.

Remus' fury was getting tiring, and Severus was done with his taunting. One could only taunt for so long before it got old.

"Remus, I shall leave you now." He couldn't resist goading him one last time and he brought the gift up to his ear and shook it, in a showy attempt to guess its contents.

"Hermione is a powerful witch and I suspect that her Charm will last another hour or so. After which, I suggest that you do not come to my chambers. I'm certain you recall how Hermione loves to sleep in on Saturdays.

"I hope you're not tied up all day." Severus chortled and walked out of Remus' chambers.

And walked right into the puerile Ronald Weasley.

"Mr. Weasley. What do you want?" he asked arrogantly, as if Ron had come to see him.

"N…not you, that's for certain. I'm here to speak with R…Remus," Ron stammered, still apparently intimidated by him. Life was so good when people were scared of you.

"After the way he treated Hermione yesterday, you are here to see him?"

"That is exactly why I want to see him. To talk man to man…"

"You mean to talk boy to mongrel."

"Would you please just get out of my way? I'm not in the mood for your insults. If that's the way you socialize it's no wonder that Hermione left you." The little boy apparently developed a back bone in the last ten years. This was going to be fun.

"Don't worry your measly little mind over Hermione. Oh, and by the way, Remus is a bit tied up at the moment. Why don't you go to breakfast in the Great Hall and enjoy yourself. He'll be ifree/i in an hour or so.

"Oh, okay. Breakfast! Ah, yes, I haven't had a Hogwarts breakfast in years!" Ron dashed away and Severus was certain he would over indulge himself in Hogwarts breakfast delights. It was so easy to push someone so predictable. Ron, meet food. No need for the Imperious Curse at all.

His plan was moving along and it had been fun. Now, for the most serious part of his plans. He needed to speak to Hermione.

**A/N: So, WOW, Hermione is Marked! What will Severus do now that she is forever tied to Remus? Thanks to Wartcap for the brilliant beta and britpick. Thanks to everyone who is kind enough to leave a review.**


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

Before he could speak with Hermione, however, he had to deal with the other female in his life. She was, at that moment, trying to barge into the last enclave of his privacy – his bathroom.

"Slinky!" He growled, low in his throat, as it threatened to come out as a scream. "I'm a little busy right now!"

Slinky, along with Hermione, lay just on the other side of his temporary hiding space. Despite one remaining fast asleep, the other seemed relentless in her attempt to enter his bathroom.

Were the last vestiges of ultimate privacy no longer sacred?

"SLINKY!"

He pressed his back against the door and wrestled with the wrappings of Remus' present. Damn that man. He was useless at teaching, hopeless at Quidditch, ridiculous as a husband and probably the worst werewolf west of The Wirral. However, his nemesis could, unfortunately, wrap a present to rival the saleswomen at Tiffany's.

"I have to Cif the convenience, Professor," Slinky shrieked from the other side of the door.

"Go away, Slinky! This is no time to clean the toilet. I am otherwise occupied at present."

Yes, he was occupied at present; with the damnable present. Just as he was contemplating asking Hagrid to sit on it, to squash the damned thing, foil paper that was tough enough to outsmart the onset of the pox, or at least contain it, finally allowed its prisoner to break free. A small box, a mere blur of pink chintz packaging, catapulted across the small room and into the toilet bowl. Oops.

Disgusting. He knew he would do it. He had no choice, he told himself, unless he left the room to retrieve his wand. If he did so Slinky would enter and probably clean the gift _and_ the bowl.

Without further thought, before he changed his mind, he moved his sleeve out of the way and fished the tiny box out of the bowl. Only after the deed was done and his hand was dripping with water did he recall his ability to use wandless magic.

He was so daft. Where Hermione was concerned, he seemed to forget himself and become drippy.

Mad at himself, mad at Slinky, but most especially mad a Lupin, he opened the tiny box and was shaken out of his thoughts when it exploded in his hands sending a shimmering silvery powder, fine as dust, into the air. It fell like Lupin's dandruff over his face, his hair, all over him, as far as he could tell. It found its way into every exposed crevice of his body. It tasted oddly of wet dog. How apropos.

As he spat into the sink and rinsed his mouth, he thought on this strange gift. It was an odd _gift_, if it could be called such.

A memory tickled the back of his mind, threatening to break free and make itself known. This was more than peculiar gift. What kind of birthday present could this be? A loose silvery powder… the memory was just on the horizon of his recall.

He would test this substance. Gathering a sample, he put it away for later retrieval. Curiosity partially satiated, albeit further peaked, he cleaned himself as best he could. Opening the door for Slinky, he inadvertently tripped over the bottle of beloved Cif and staggered into the hallway. She looked up at him, rag in hand, and smiled until she looked around the facilities, noting the obvious silvery addition to every surface. Her smile waned.

Shaking her head, the obstinate elf looked down at the powder residue and tried to wipe it away with her rag.

"Dirty habit," she muttered under her breath in obvious disapproval.

He merely shrugged his shoulders. "No, Slinky, it is not cocaine. That substance is not a silver powder. This is, in fact, all that is left of the last elf that crossed my path and invaded my _bad space_," he said as threateningly as he could manage this side of lunchtime. Punctuating his promise, he closed the door behind him with finality, allowing Slinky the privacy she needed to clean the convenience.

Never let it be said that he wasn't thoughtful.

xxxxxx

Severus Snape sat in his bedroom. He knew he probably shouldn't be sitting there looking at Hermione as she slept but, damn it, this was his room! He smirked at the absurdity of his thoughts. He sat there looking at her because it was what he wanted to do, period. No need to justify it to anyone or to himself.

She stirred.

Thank goodness. He had yawned – loudly. He'd banged enough drawers open and closed to wake the dead. She was, after all, in his rooms and she would wake when he decided. It was still morning, but she had slept enough. He wanted to talk with her. He'd waited long enough. He walked through his bedroom door and made certain to slam it closed on his way to the kitchen.

If that didn't wake her up he didn't know what would, save for a few rounds of the Cruciatus Curse.

He smirked as he heard her soft footfalls behind him. She was awake. He still had it. A combination of well placed noises and the aroma of fresh brewed coffee always seemed to wake the dead.

"Good morning, Hermione," he said as he reached for a mug. "Would you care for coffee?"

"Good morning, um, Severus, I would, thank you."

He heard the hesitation in her voice and watched as she took a seat.

"What is wrong?" he asked as he handed her a mug of coffee. "You seem a tad uncertain."

"You don't usually call me by my given name and, well…"

She was never one to be timid and shy. He didn't like her this way. He needed her to return to her old, vibrant, and bossy, self.

"Well, I feel that after last night I could return to calling you thus." He chuckled. Playing with her was too easy.

"Last night?"

"Oh, don't fret, your honor is still intact. Proprieties have been maintained. I only meant that last night you fell asleep in my arms."

"And I was in your bed," she stated timidly, although it was more of a question.

"You continue to flatter yourself. In actuality, you were numbing my arms. I had to regain blood flow and if I didn't place you out of the way you would still be clinging onto me, like lichen."

"Oh. When I drink, I don't always remember…," she said, as she stared at her entwined fingers.

"You did not appear inebriated last night."

"No, no. I was not drunk but I did drink a couple of glasses of wine while with Harry and Ron," she said as she continued to avert her gaze. "Sometimes I find that I can't remember things when I drink. Like when I got this tattoo I was with…"

"What tattoo?" he asked, but attempted to appear casual.

"About a year ago, Remus and I were out celebrating our first anniversary and I drank a lot of champagne and when I woke up I had this beautiful tattoo." She smiled as she patted her shoulder where the mark he had seen lay. "But I don't recall getting it." She appeared a bit more relaxed as she shared this bit of information, as if she were accepting of being flighty.

"That's not like you, Hermione, not to remember. When we were together your memory was solid, to a fault. When it suited your fancy you would assault me with past events like a hurricane attacks the coastline. It was most disconcerting. However, you could always be counted on to remember every detail of every event… always." He studied her as he worked to remind her of her former self.

"When did this memory loss begin?" he continued, unable to contain the worry lines from intensifying between his brows.

"I don't know. I guess it was about the same time."

"How often does it happen?"

"Severus, do I have to begin calling you _Doctor_ Snape now?" she taunted, but she couldn't contain the grin from forming on her beautiful face.

He smiled in return, hoping to dazzle her with his crooked, yellow teeth. "Hermione, how often does it happen?"

"Not often. I'm not a drunk, you know!"

He stared at her, entreating her to continue.

"Well, Severus, I never thought about that before, but I would imagine that it probably occurs every month or so."

"Would you mind showing me your tattoo? I'd like to see it." He wriggled his eyebrows suggestively. He decided the tone of the conversation required altering in order to confirm his fears.

"Okay. But remember, Severus, that I am a married woman."

He brought his hand up to her hair and twisted a curl around his finger longingly. "That is one thing, Mrs. Lupin, that I am unable to forget."

She looked at him, directly into his eyes, and it appeared that she was looking through him, to his very soul. It was an intense look, full of understanding, and he hoped, desire. Slowly, as if to tease, she pulled away her blouse to reveal her tattoo. It was the same one he had noticed earlier in the day. She was not teasing him, at least not on purpose. She appeared demure and… something else. Her cheeks were flushed and her modesty was only rivaled by her self-assured smile.

She looked like a woman in love.

He stared back at her and slowly lifted his hand to add to hers as they now both pulled back her blouse. With his other hand he traced her Mark. He followed the circular symbol with his finger, slowly, tracing the outline while examining the vague wolf profile in the center.

To the naïve, it was a beautiful symbol. To one who enjoyed werewolf folklore it would appear as a lovely testament to that interest. Unfortunately, to those with a certain level of expertise, this symbol was not just _pretty_ but it was the epitome of oppression.

To make this situation worse, his love, Hermione, had no idea what it represented. She didn't know that she was a slave to her husband. She was in bondage, figuratively, even though Remus was the one currently, literally, tied up. His bonds would dissipate within the hour, but hers would last a lifetime.

He sighed deeply and opened his eyes. He hadn't realized he had closed them. When he looked at Hermione, her eyes were closed and she was breathing heavily. It appeared that she enjoyed his touch. He enjoyed hers, too. However, they both knew that this would go no further. She was, as she said, a married woman. No matter that he hated her husband. He respected her more than he desired her.

He must be getting old. His life held no more pizzazz.

"Severus, that tickles," she said shyly as she moved her body away from his touch.

"I apologize. I did not intend to embarrass you.

"It is a very interesting tattoo. It's very familiar. Does it remind you of anything, Hermione?" he asked, as he wanted to pique her academic interest.

"I don't know what you mean."

"It is just that it reminds me of something I've read, but I can't recall exactly." He loathed lying to her. He felt it best that she arrive at the conclusion herself. She would not accept such a revelation from him. While she'd maintained much of her original personality, she had indeed changed… because of the Mark. Because of Lupin.

"I don't know, Severus. I guess it is familiar, but I don't recall exactly, either." She grabbed her mug of coffee and moved over to the lounge, adjacent to his kitchen, and relaxed on the sofa.

He joined her and asked, "How did you get this?"

"Well, as I said, I do not remember. We were out celebrating and when I woke up the next day it was there. I asked Remus, of course, and he was amazed that I didn't remember. Come to think of it, that may have been the first time I had a blackout session. That's what I call them. Anyway, he said that I insisted on commemorating our anniversary with a tattoo. I told him never to let me do that again. While I think it is beautiful, I am not a tattoo kind of person, if you know what I mean?"

"Yes, I understand. I never would've imagined you with one."

"Well, I will hold him to it!"

"Will?" he asked, surprised. "Do you mean to tell me that you and Remus have a future? You will remain married to him?" He knew the Mark would continue to call her to her mate, but he couldn't hide his surprise.

"You're right, Severus!" She got up and twirled around his room. For a moment she appeared to return to her free-spirited former self. He was happy to see it.

"I will need to separate from him in order to really give our relationship some thought. I can be happy, Severus. With him, or without him."

"Yes, Hermione. Make yourself the priority, that is all I ask."

"You are a very kind friend."

"I will allow you that thought, Hermione, so long as you never say that again outside of these walls." He smiled wanly into her hair as she rushed him and held him tight.

"Even if I did, no one would believe me anyway."

"If you'd like, you may stay here with me."

She gave him a knowing look and he quickly added, "No, you'll sleep in the bedroom and I'll add a bed to my private library. We'll both have our rooms, our privacy."

"Thank you, Severus. That is most generous of you, but I think it would raise too many questions – former lover and all. I think I'll stay with Harry."

"Oh, like _that_ won't raise any questions – former lover and all."

"Stop teasing! Not many people know about our history."

"Like it would remain _history_ once you move in with him."

"Not _you_, too! Please, Severus. Harry is my friend and what we had ended long ago."

"I apologize. The last thing I need is for you to lump me into the same category as your deranged husband."

She gave him a stern glare.

"Sorry. What I meant to say is that I am not a jealous lunatic. Sorry again."

Hermione laughed. At him? He didn't know, but it was lovely to hear. "No, Severus, I'm sorry. You are right, you are _not_ like Remus and you deserve better than that."

"What will you do now?"

"I'm going to my rooms to pick up some clothes. I probably should release Remus' binds, too."

"I shall accompany you."

"No, there is no need, but thank you. I feel like I can take on the world and Remus will not intimidate me."

When she was ready to depart, Severus walked her to the door and embraced her. It was the first time he ever initiated an embrace with anyone. It felt comforting, although oddly disconcerting, to expose his vulnerabilities. He wanted to feel her, but he also wanted to give her comfort. For her to know that she was important to him. He had changed a lot over the years since their relationship began. Here he was, now giving hugs instead of avoiding them.

He was such a wimp.

A/N: Don't you just love Slinky? What will happen now that Hermione is Marked by Remus? Will Severus ever be able to be with her again? Argh! Your reviews have been awesome and you guys rock! Please let the reviews continue! You know you want too... go ahead... right there, press the button. ROFL! Till the next chapter! As always, thanks to Wartcap for the fabulous beta and the Britpicking. Ruthie


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

As if in a dream, she found herself engulfed by warmth and protected by strength. Enveloped by a veil of fragrances that were reminiscent of her yesterdays. Reminiscent of a time when she was passionately loved and ardently desired.

That seemed so long ago. It was a sensory experience only rivaled by her memories. Her reality no longer held moments of yearning. Until today, when, in a moment of awakening, her senses rekindled. Just like when one gives life to a dying flame, she felt… alive.

Hermione's body thrummed with a long forgotten desire. She wanted him, yearned for him, and yet she had to get away. She had to escape before she threw herself – unabashedly – at her erstwhile lover. She was in her own purgatory, a plane of existence between the life and rebirth of heaven and the perpetual death and pain of hell. To love and desire one so completely but to give in to that passion would be beyond disloyalty and treachery.

However improper, infidelity would not be about betrayal to a husband, but more about faithfulness to herself. Should she care so much about propriety and fidelity to a man who cared so little for her happiness?

Marriage to Remus had changed her, made her complacent. Hermione needed to take control of her life. She was off balance and needed to right herself again… to transform herself back to the Hermione she fondly remembered. She wanted to return to her former self, flaws and all.

If she divorced Remus she wanted to pursue a relationship with Severus… again. But, would he want her? Would he still desire her? After all, she had left him and married another man. A man he hated with every fiber of his being. It was a major life-altering blunder. She had loved Remus. He became everything she craved. Now, he was everything she feared.

She was welcomed in Severus' arms. There she felt protected. Not only from Remus, but also from herself. She knew that he wanted her happiness. Severus wanted her to be whoever she wanted to be. She found strength in him.

As he held onto her, she felt his succor and was comforted. A combination of strength and passion was portrayed in his embrace. It spoke of friendship, love and… promise. She wanted him, needed him. Most of all, she needed to reveal to him her rekindled passion for him and hope that he returned it. He was a proud man and she only hoped that he wouldn't turn her away.

With the courage of a lioness, she straightened her back, raised her chin and met his infinite, ebony eyes squarely and assuredly. Her gaze attempted to communicate all the words her mouth failed to form. The tremble in her lips betrayed her. Her lungs filled with his fragrance and combined with the warmth of his breath on her face. She felt her knees give way. He responded by holding her firmly against him.

She would always be safe with him.

She lifted herself firmly in his embrace and kissed him. Words had failed her. Knees had failed her. She only hoped that her kiss would be able to communicate with him in ways she failed to do.

It seemed impossible, but he held onto her even more tightly than he had before. He pressed her into him, molding their bodies seamlessly together. His arms cradled her head, even as they held her possessively, ensuring their continued kiss. His entire body was in communication with hers. She had succeeded in relaying her desire.

Wordlessly, he communicated beyond passion and desire. Through his embrace, she felt his love. She returned his ardor with her own. His shoulders flexed under her hands as she held onto him. She was always fascinated by his broad shoulders. They are a physical representation of his strength, passion and protective nature. He would always protect her.

With a strength she had forgotten he possessed, he lifted her and laid her on the couch they recently vacated. With a practiced motion he guided her knees apart and pressed his arousal against her. He pressed himself into her, and although they were both clothed, she could feel him as his hardness pressed and stimulated her clitoris. She was wet with desire for him.

His quick hands required no magic as he lifted her blouse and exposed herself to him. A wet heat engulfed her nipple. Severus fed on her as would a starved man in need of life-sustaining food. His mouth tugged her nipple and he alternated between gentle tugs and intense suctions. Hermione felt as if she would go insane. Her body sang with desire.

All thought of propriety left her as she reached behind him and felt his lean body, from his muscular shoulders to his firm buttocks. She wanted to feel him… all of him. Her fervor pushed her beyond reason and with both hands she pushed against his pants, trying to get him free of them.

That motion froze her soon-to-be-lover and he lifted his mouth from her body, his wide eyes stared into hers. She could see him struggle with himself for restraint.

Passion turned to reason all too soon.

"Hermione, I apologize," he said somberly as he pulled away and righted her blouse.

Her logical mind understood his apology, but she couldn't help but feel rejected. He sat at the end of the sofa and placed his head in his hands. She remained on the sofa as she was, her feet now at his lap, and she covered her eyes with an arm. She was ashamed. A tear fell into her ear and that was when she realized she had been crying.

Upset at allowing her feelings to overtake her, she pulled herself up, wiped her eyes, and reached out to Severus. That was when he turned towards her and, with great sincerity and humility, he embraced her and apologized into her hair.

"I'm so sorry." Simple words, but when combined with his embrace they comforted her.

"Severus, I am the one that needs to apologize. I should never have kissed you. I just…" She looked at him. "I just feel so lonely and I let my desire for you take control."

"You desire me?" he asked, shocked.

"Yes," she professed. "I've never stopped desiring you, Severus. But now I find myself wanting you all the time."

Severus cradled her face and wiped the remaining tears away. He surprised her by kissing her, slowly and tenderly. She returned his kiss and met each gentle swipe of his tongue with her own, until he slowly retreated and ended their kiss.

"We must stop here, Hermione. I never stopped desiring you either, but I want more. No. I _need_ more from you than a quick shag. I will not allow myself to get carried away…"

"What are you saying, Severus?"

"I'm saying that I respect you too much to have sex with you, a married woman. I want you, yes, but only if you can find it within yourself to leave your husband."

"Leave Remus?"

"Yes, Hermione. Why do you sound surprised? You were talking about being on your own, taking time to make your decision! If you leave Remus, I will be here waiting for you. If you don't, I can't. I will not be your lover."

"Please, Severus, explain." She was confused and she needed him to be very clear.

"There is no more to explain! If you leave Remus, I will be here for you. I want to…." He paused, obviously exacerbated. "Hermione, I want to be your husband, not your lover."

"My husband? Severus, you've never said that to me before!"

"Yes, I know," he agreed. "I was a fool, but I won't make that mistake again. As you make your decision, you need to weigh all your options. You must be aware that I am a choice. One that I hope you choose."

"Oh, Severus!" she sobbed as she embraced him tight, her head pressed firmly into the warmth of his chest. "I love you! I do! I can't believe that you would be willing to take me back after I left you." She looked at him through her tears and smiled.

"Listen to me, Hermione." Fervently, he grasped her arms, willing her to hear him. "This is your decision and I need you to promise me that you will do your best to make a clear one. As you decide, please do not forget who Remus has been the last couple of years. How unhappy you have been and especially how he behaved toward you last night. And, to be fair, remember me and all of my faults. I have changed and am working on changing for the better – to be the man you want me to be – but I am inherently the same man I have always been.

"You have changed," she whispered in agreement. Over the last several months she had noticed it and had been saddened that his change was a little too late for her. But now, maybe, it wasn't. She held a glimmer of hope that she would be happy. "I promise you that I will do my best to make the right decision."

"Make the best decision for _you_, Hermione. Not for me and not for Remus. I want you happy. If you decide to give us a try, again, the only thing I can promise you is that I will do my best to make you happy."

"Severus, I always knew that you loved me, even if you never said it, but it was so hard to love with you all the games you played."

"No more games, Hermione, I promise."

Severus had changed and she believed him. However, she was a married woman and, although her husband was an ass, she had to make sure that she gave her consideration honest thought. However, just because she was married, she didn't need to be faithful to a future with Remus.

Severus was right. She had to be faithful to herself. For now, she would go and face Remus.

**A/N: Whoa! So, they finally kissed after several years of being apart! Who do you think Hermione will choose? Who _should_ she choose? Aha, I think I know who she _should_ choose, but will she? Love you all, thank you so much for the reviews and if you keep them coming, I'll keep writing! As always, thanks to the mighty and brilliant Wartcap for the fabulous beta and the Britpicking. Mmmwwwwaaa! Ruthie**


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER NINE**

Assaulted by the tangy sour smell of old sweat, Hermione wrinkled her nose as she opened the door to her chambers. The smell permeated the room and seemed to hover like a dark cloud. If she wasn't moving out today she'd have to seriously think of a way to fumigate. As it was, she seriously considered casting a Bubble Charm on herself.

Offensively, Hermione held her wand toward any possible attack and covered her nose with her free hand. How was she going to pack, hold her wand and cover her nose she didn't know. Whatever she was going to do, she had to do it fast.

Grimace firmly in place, she walked forward and pointed her wand at her husband, who lay sleeping in a corner on the floor. He looked rather uncomfortable… and she was okay with that.

Giving him a wide birth, Hermione carefully walked through the disordered room, hardly giving thought to how it became that way, and threaded her way softly toward her bedroom. Although she was ready to deal with Remus, she preferred not to.

The courage of a lioness that had fortified her to kiss Severus this morning was now working to abandon her. She should have taken Severus up on his offer to accompany her to retrieve her belongings. It was not that she didn't want to appear weak, it had more to do with her feeling strong and capable of handling her husband. Now, she wasn't so certain.

It was better to hurry along, get the items she came for and then get herself to Harry's. She chuckled as she wondered what he would think, when she just popped in and made herself at home. He just might want to get into her knickers. Severus was right on that front, too. While she could resist Harry, if she remained with Severus she wasn't strong enough to withstand the temptation to get into his trousers.

No, to Harry's she would go. He'll understand, and being the good friend that he was, he would welcome her with open arms.

The appalling odor that seemed to permeate every corner of the living room, thankfully, didn't make it into her bedroom. Here she could breathe easy and concentrate on the task at hand. Like finding her overnight bag.

Magic was a beautiful thing. Hermione was able to reduce her wardrobe, including her shoes, intimates and toiletries quickly, and pack them all into her smallest luggage. It was easy enough now that she didn't need to hold her nose to keep from vomiting.

The last item she needed to collect was her briefcase. She found it where she always leaves it, against the wall on the far side of the bedroom, undisturbed. Even her birthday party, the evening before, didn't deter her from placing her briefcase in its rightful spot. It was important to her to keep her professional materials in one place. And this was _her_ cherished space. While she could have use of any number of spaces in their comfortable chambers, including their very own library, it was here, in the corner of their bedroom, that she found solace. Usually, she rested on the comfortable chaise lounge with a glass of Chianti and reviewed her clinical notes. It was an important time she set aside in order to plan on how best to help her clients improve their treatment outcomes. She was always well prepared for her clients and sitting here in her lounger, next to the hearth, was the perfect place for it. It was a special time that she was dedicated to every night, and it was a time that she looked forward to. She would miss it.

She frowned. As she added some final contributions to her overnight bag, she wrinkled her nose as the stench from the living room was making its way towards her. It was like the hand of death reached across the chamber to torture her.

She stowed her wand in her briefcase, picked up her luggage, scanned her bedroom and sighed. She would miss this room. It wasn't because of any sentimentality towards Remus and their marriage, but because she had spent a lot of time and energy into decorating it to her style. It was a beautiful room and she didn't know if she would ever see it again. The bag was heavy, and she lifted the strap higher onto her shoulder as she slowly turned toward the door to leave her past behind.

The stench assaulted her as she turned around and found Remus staring back at her. He was standing in the bedroom doorway, looking intently at her, and he remained bound and gagged.

She felt sorry for him.

He stared at her, sadly. His gaze conveyed judgment, sorrow, and above all they begged her. For what, she wasn't certain. However, she was clear that _her_ Remus had returned and he was pleading with her. He wanted, no, he supplicated her to release him from his binds. Despite the overwhelming odor, she approached him. She desperately wanted to hug him, show him her affection and apologize for her treatment of him. The odor was coming from him… from his very pores. He must have put up a grand fight after she left him bound, to release himself from her Charms. It obviously was a futile effort, but one that left him exhausted. He must have struggled for the better part of the night. The messy living room now made sense.

His gaze was accusatory as it traveled between her face and the luggage she was carrying. He appeared heartbroken as he understood that she was leaving him. Without giving a second thought to her actions, she removed her wand from her briefcase and cast a silent _Finite Incantatem_. He reacted immediately to his release, as he fell to the floor and cried.

Watching him cry was agonizing. She was the culprit for his pain, and that was the most upsetting. She couldn't be a bystander while her husband sobbed.

"Remus?" she asked as she joined him on the floor and gently touched his shoulder.

He raised his head, away from his hands and looked at her. He was a mess. He didn't answer her, but now he whimpered.

"Remus," she whispered. "Please Remus, answer me. Are you okay?"

The diagonal scars on his face had once been endearing. However, in his current condition they made him look menacing and dangerous. Fear, in and of itself, wasn't a bad thing. Fear worked hard to keep one safe. Hermione wished she had listened to her fear and kept a respectful distance. He didn't look as innocent as he had a moment ago. She was getting alarmed… fear gripped her and she scuttled back, away from him.

His strength returned as he appeared to pull himself together. He rose from the floor and slowly walked toward her. The bags she held fell to the floor. She was too frightened to think. Her anxiety came in waves and made her nauseous.

"Hermione, darling," he murmured, his voice gravely from lack of use, "please, let me get near you."

"Remus, stay back! I… I promise you that I will bind you again if you don't move back." Hermione was scared, and she quickly scanned the room looking for a means of escape. But he was approaching her fast, and in another few seconds he would have her pinned up against the wall.

He looked at her, then turned his head toward the bed and smiled. She followed his gaze and panicked as she realized why he smiled. Her wand was on the bed, on the other side of the large room. Even if she summoned it he would intercept it.

"Darling, I am your husband and I missed you," he articulated his intentions as he pressed his body against hers. Her retreat ended when she came upon the far wall of their bedroom. For two years she'd waited for him to be assertive, and now, once he'd gone over the edge into the land of the clinically insane, did he do so. No, she would not allow it. She'd rather get fucked by Filch.

Although she turned her face away from his, he insistently pressed his body into hers. She felt his arousal against her abdomen and he suggestively ground his erection into her, letting her know what he intended to do with her. Without giving much thought, she exposed her neck to him, as she turned her face away from him, avoiding his stare and the rotting stench of his breath.

He brought his face to her bare neck and licked his way down toward its juncture with her shoulder. He suckled her flesh and she shivered. She was scared because he was frightening, but also because it felt so delightful.

"Hermione, you have been a naughty witch. I know you spent the night with Snape… and only after spending the evening with Harry and Ron. You will give me my fair share as well."

"No! Nothing happened, Remus, with anyone!"

"You think you can lie to me, but remember I have a nose that knows. I can smell you, Hermione. Your body has been aroused." Remus moved toward her ear as if he were going to share a deep secret. "Your pussy is wet."

And she was. Not only because of her time with Severus, but also because Remus' behavior triggered her deviant desire to be claimed. She had always desired a strong domineering man to want her, to take what was rightfully his. Why the fuck did it have to be Remus, and why now?

He scraped his teeth over the racing pulse at the base of her neck and she shuddered. They both turned their heads towards the bedroom entryway as they heard a knock on the front door. The person at the door was insistent and the knock came again and again. She wanted to scream, to call out for help so that whoever was at the door would rescue her, and she would finally get away from Remus. She was about to call out when Remus ripped her shirt away from her shoulder and pressed his hand against her Mark. The feeling of calm and tranquility was instantaneous. She no longer felt frightened of her husband. She belonged to him… completely. She had been so stupid. She had placed this poor man through hell and back again. She vowed never to hurt him again. She was his wife and she had to take care of his every need.

Hermione's smile slowly returned, laced with desire. If she ever tortured him again, it would be different. It would be slow and completely sexual. She wanted to please him in every naughty way possible and as she kissed him, she planned on just how she would make it most enjoyable for him.

"Hermione, love, let me lick your beautiful tattoo."

"Why do you want to lick my tattoo, Remus?"

"You chose this tattoo because you said it was a symbol of me, your beloved mate. I want to treasure it as you have treasured me."

"Oh my God, Remus, please take me!"

Hermione threw her head back and waited with anticipation for his attentions. Instead she felt him roughly pulled out of her arms. Her eyes flew open to find an enraged Severus, with his wand drawn and pointed at her husband, who now lay prostrated on the floor.

"Severus, why are you…" She stopped. Whatever she was about to ask no longer mattered. In a matter of moments, she felt the fog in her mind give way and she… remembered.

"Yes?" he asked. He looked angry and she was fairly certain he was angry at her.

"I'm so confused," she mumbled as her tears began to flow. She was bewildered. It felt as if her life was in upheaval. One minute she was determined to get rid of Remus and the next she was in his arms ready to make love. She didn't understand herself. She was embarrassed and concerned over what Severus would think of her.

"Hermione, do not dawdle. Get your belongings and let's get out of here." He was clear and she would listen to him. She picked up her bags from where she had dropped them and turned back to look at Remus as he remained on the floor, a coward in the face of Severus' wand.

"Now!" Severus bellowed and she ran out the door.

She rushed out of the room and out of her chambers without looking back. She stopped in the hallway to catch her breath and make some sense out of everything that happened. She didn't have long to think, as Severus grabbed her forcefully by the arm and led her away from the area.

"Severus, you're pulling me! Where are we going?" she asked as she tried to keep up with his pace without falling on the floor.

"We are going home!"

**A/N: Ha ha ha ha! Severus is her knight in shining armor! Remus is something else, isn't he? He knows exactly what buttons to push or in this case, what tattoos to lick! LOL!**

**Thanks to Wartcap for the beta and for spanking me when I need it.**


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

"Merlin's balls!" Ron gasped in apparent shock at the scene before him.

Remus stumbled into the living room to find Ron staring at him with a mixture of astonishment and outrage.

"What did you do to Hermione?" he demanded as he unsheathed his wand and pointed it at Remus.

"Not you, too," Remus replied calmly.

As Ron looked on, Remus ignored his bewilderment and began to tidy up the disordered room. He was tired and needed a bath. He was in no mood to deal with another wand-bearing cowboy. Recently, he hadn't been able to control the comings and goings in his own home. It appeared this trend wasn't going to end any time soon.

Apparently, the world was changing and Remus was not certain if he wanted to have any part of it. First, Harry and Ron threw a party for his wife in his chambers and then they took her from him and fucked her pretty little cunt… _his_ pretty little cunt. She then has the nerve to return to him, throw a hissy fit, tie him up and run to her other lover. Amazing.

Somehow, judging from the accusatory glare coming from Ron, everyone thought that he was the bad guy in this relationship. Meanwhile, she was the one fucking every wizard she could find. He wondered if she was involved with witches, too. All he wanted was a piece of the action. After all, her body rightfully belonged to him.

Here now was this little pompous ass, standing there with his wand pointed at him, and he probably still had Hermione's juices on his teeny cock.

Remus needed a cigarette. Oh, why had he given up smoking when he married that slip of a girl?

Luck had not been on his side in years. When he married Hermione he thought that fate was finally providing him compensation for giving him such an ill-fated life. He was the werewolf everyone loved to hate. Everyone certainly loved him. He was the kind and compassionate werewolf. Poor beyond measure, but rich in friendship and love. However, once a month they all scrambled out of his way and left him alone. Hermione was the only one who showed him compassion… on occasion. Her work often took precedence. He needed to be first in her life.

"Mr. Weasley, please stand down. I have no intention of harming you or anyone else, for that matter," he promised.

"What did you do to Hermione?" Ron reiterated.

"Ronald, I have done nothing to my wife except stay home and wait for her to decide to return to me."

"I just saw her leave…"

"Yes, you did. And no doubt you saw her leave with…"

"Snape," Ron answered.

"Right. She left with Snape," Remus confirmed. "Ron, she may have just left, but do not believe that she has been here the entire evening. She returned home after sleeping with you and Harry and she immediately left and spent the rest of the night with Severus."

"Oh, no, we weren't sleeping," Ron clarified, oblivious to the accusation.

"No, of course not. How silly of me." Remus felt disgusted, but if he was going to make his situation better he would need Ron on his side. He would confront him on his deceit another time.

"All I ever wanted from Hermione was love and commitment. I know that she doesn't think that I am overly exciting, but I find it hard to be when she puts everything and everyone else before me."

"Remus, I'm sorry, but that's not the Hermione I know," Ron challenged.

"Ron, she comes home from work at nine in the evening. However, she leaves her office at five. Where is she in those four hours? With you?"

"No!" Ron yelled quickly.

"Your adamant response tells me that if she was your wife, you would also be wondering where she was and what she was doing."

"Yes, I would be. Hermione, though, is not one to cheat. She's very unhappy, but…"

"What makes you say that she is very unhappy? Unhappy with me?"

"Well, yes. We were talking a bit and she told us that she was," Ron responded, avoiding Remus' glare as he stared at his shoes.

"I should also share with you that when she does come home she spends hours sifting through her notes. By the time she comes to bed I am fast asleep. It's as if she is avoiding being with me.

"I'm a man, Ron. I have needs. She rarely allows me to touch her. Do you know how horrible it is to touch your wife and have her turn away from you in disgust?" Ron shook his head in the negative. No he didn't have that problem. Lucky him.

"Ron, all I desired was to be the best husband I could be for Hermione. I even took advice from Severus.

"In hindsight, I realize how vulnerable I was to Severus' ploy to take Hermione away from me. I took his advice, and, unfortunately, instead of Hermione falling for me, she fell for him."

"Sir, what was Snape doing here earlier? I came to see you but he told me you were busy."

"Ah, I'm glad that you were privy to that so that you can see that I am not lying. Snape essentially came here to gloat and tell me that Hermione was in his bed," Remus explained.

With one large overhead wand movement, the room began to tidy itself and became refreshed. The only thing that remained to be cleaned was Remus himself.

Ron ran his fingers through his hair, as he apparently tried to comprehend what he was hearing. "So, Hermione is having an affair with Snape?"

"Yes," Remus hissed, vehemently. He also wanted to point a finger at Ron and say that he knew that she was fucking him, too, but he decided to keep it simple, for now.

"Can you understand now, Ron? How can I make her happy when she isn't giving me a chance?"

"We have to get her to see reason!"

Remus was about to respond to Ron. He was after all, making perfect sense. However, he was distracted when he caught whiff of his mate. She was nearby. Her scent was unique and, as her mate, his senses were well developed to detect hers above all others.

Oh, yes, there was no mistaking it. Hermione was very close by. If he were a betting man, he'd bet that she was just outside of his chambers listening in on his conversation with Ron. Since he'd just noticed her, he would make the best of what she heard.

"Ron," he cried, "I just don't know what to do anymore! I love her! I love Hermione with every fiber of my being! I even loved her for years before she even noticed me. I left her alone because I wanted her to come to me freely, to love me for me. Even years ago, when she was dating Severus, I never distanced myself because I hoped that she would see the real me. That I would still love her despite her not choosing me.

"I am so sorry for everything. I just wish she would take me back and I would give her everything that she ever asked for… everything that she ever desired. I need her, Ron. I need her." Remus surprised himself by actually crying. He must be a very good actor.

"Remus," Ron said, "I don't know how, but we'll find a way for her to realize her mistake and come back to you."

He breathed in the last vestiges of her scent as it faded into nothingness. She left. However, he had smelled her the entire time he professed his love for her. She had listened.

Now, all he had to do was get rid of this imbecile, take a bath, and wait for her to return. She couldn't stay away from her mate for long. She would begin to feel the urges, the need and immense pull that would bring her back to him.

She was his forever. She now belonged to the wolves.

**A/N: So, she belongs to the wolves... what do you think that means? Yay! Another chapter! Do you guys know that you get first dips on new chapters? That's because you guys rock! Much love to my beta and friend, Wartcap.**


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

Hermione paced herself. She didn't want to hyperventilate but she found it difficult to catch her breath. Her chest tightened with each intake of air as she scrambled away from her home as fast as her legs would lead her. The sloping hills beckoned her to reduce her pace, the lush field laid out before her dangerously uneven.

Struggling with the weight of her bags, Hermione stumbled and rolled down the heath landing in the purple heather. The Apparition point from Hogwarts never seemed as far away as it did just now. Her bags tumbled down the slope along with her and landed near.

As she struggled to right herself, a familiar hand appeared in front of her, offering assistance. She looked up to see a grim Severus staring down at her. He was obviously mad at her, his mouth straight and rigid, as he heaved her up off the ground. He held onto her bags, having already retrieved them from where they had fallen when she stumbled.

"Have you been following me, Severus?"

"What would I have found if I had, Mrs. Lupin?" He stared at her accusingly, willing her to read his mind.

"So, back to formalities so soon, are we?"

"After you refused to stay with me, I followed you to ensure that you didn't run into Lupin. And can you guess what I found instead?"

"I only went back because I realized I'd left some work materials. Remus had company, so I didn't stick around."

"That doesn't explain why you were crying when you left."

"I… I heard him talking to Ron about me and I couldn't believe what I was hearing. He was… he was very sorry for everything and he told him…" She looked up at him, wondering if she should share what she heard.

"What did he say?"

"He told Ron that he loved me and that's when I ran."

"I can only take solace in seeing you flee from him too. You seem to have a penchant for taking off."

"I also have a penchant for having over-protected friends, too," she said pointedly.

"When we were in my rooms I explained that I only followed you earlier because I was concerned for your safety. And rightly so, considering what I found when I entered your chambers."

"Severus, I am grateful to you, I really am. And I'm sorry about not staying with you, but I need to stay away from you and Remus. I need to make a decision and I want to give each of you proper consideration.

"I understand, Hermione, but do not take forever. A man can suffer injury to his ego for only so long." Severus pivoted on his heels and walked away with purpose, a steady stride taking him back to Hogwarts.

Hermione stared at Severus' retreating form. He was walking so fast that he quickly disappeared behind the rolling hills that led toward Hogwarts. Watching him leave made her ill. Despite her efforts, she found herself short of breath and she needed to calm down. He was clear, he would not wait forever. She had to make her decision, but even in choosing she was hurting him. He wanted her to live with him and had even insisted. However, she could not allow herself to live with another man while she was married. She was experiencing a physical reaction to her inner turmoil. Her body was rejecting the stress and she was nauseous. Woozy, she held her head and willed her body to become well.

She looked back at the castle she had called home for so many years of her life and thought of the two men who lived there, who wanted her. It seemed that she was welcomed to call Hogwarts home so long as it was a home with Remus or with Severus. They both wanted her to call their place home. She wanted neither. She wanted a home of her own, and she would not find it at Hogwarts.

For a self-made and independent woman she seemed terribly dependent on men. It was Saturday, the day after her thirtieth birthday and here she was begging another man for a home. She felt indigent.

Only two people had complete access to Harry's home and she was one of them. Hermione never visited Harry unannounced before, so long as she didn't count the time she came through his Floo and ended his night with that Frances tart. Although, he had invited Hermione in… at her insistence. No, this would be the first time she would see herself in. There was no time for Owls or Floo calls. She was coming over now.

Although she still felt sick, Hermione Apparated into Harry's flat appearing just inside his vestibule. After a quick search, she realized that he wasn't home. That was fine by her. She needed a hot bath, a change of clothes, a nap and no questions asked until she had all three. She was deeply sleepy and hoped to make good use of Harry's guest bedroom as soon as she had bathed. She made her way toward his guest bedroom to deposit her bags and found a lovely home office replete with a small collection of books, desk and Table Quidditch replete with little magical players on wee brooms fighting for the Quaffle! However, there was no bed.

She would have to make the best of this situation until she made her choice between Remus and Severus, or until she found her own flat. If she did that then she wouldn't have to choose between them.

Maybe she could find herself a nice young man to sweep her off her feet. As it was, the older men in her life were most assuredly cantankerous. Severus was grouchy. Remus was Grumpy. If only she'd fancy herself as Snow White, maybe she could deal with her two crabby dwarfs. No, her life was certainly no fairy-tale. Although, she might as well don a red cloak as she had her very own wolf.

It was a bit scary, how intense Remus could get. What was most scary was how possessive he had become. It was unfathomable how he thought she was having an affair. He was being unreasonable. Of course, Severus charging into her chambers like her very own knight in shining armor wasn't doing much to support her innocence.

Without further thought to her current predicament, Hermione made to get her three criteria met as she walked into Harry's bathroom for her hot bath.

Sinking into the steamy water, Hermione's thoughts returned to Severus and his declaration about not waiting forever. He had been in her life for so long that it was difficult to imagine a life without him. Even in her marriage to Remus, after Severus overcame his initial rage, he and she were able to reform a friendship, tentative as it was sometimes, it was nice to still have him around. What would her life be like if she didn't choose Severus? Would he ever be friends with her again? She didn't think so. He was hurting and if she didn't leave Remus he would be beyond hurt and would probably never see her again. That thought made her sick. A wave of nausea gripped her and she was overcome with dizziness. Hermione attempted to relax in the bathtub as sleep called to her.

**xxxxx**

_Running through the forest, Hermione's feet were tearing on the rocky path. The woods called to her. They howled her name. The voices echoed and bounced off the trees, threatening to find her. Her torn skin was bleeding and she was out of breath… but she could not allow her human frailties to stop her. The wolves were hunting and she was their prey. _

_She was terrified and ran through brush and dirt. The woods howled and the call carried on the wind. They were out to get her. Pain gripped her chest and she tumbled into the dirt. Panicked and unable to gain purchase she scrambled away from the howling. It echoed through the forest… appearing to come from every direction. She was no longer certain which way to escape, from where she had been running, or toward which direction. It no longer mattered as those who howled were now all around her. _

_Certain of their victory they slowly advanced. Frightened and dirty, she remained on her knees, her fingers pressed into the dirt. The pack surrounded her and escape was no longer possible. One wolf stood out as the leader of the pack. His canine eyes bored into her, with purpose… with intimacy. He slowly advanced, gracefully gliding along the terrain as if he owned the land. His pack followed his lead and they surrounded her, looming over her as she attempted to back away. Her retreat was halted as she backed into a jostling wall of fur, as soft as down and as hard as stone. _

_Terror turned to dread as she realized that there was no way out. This was it. With no possible way to escape she was at their mercy. She desperately looked around, beyond the massive bodies of her captors, hoping to find someone, anyone, to save her. However, she was all alone in the forest with the wolves. _

_The leader's gaze didn't waver. His eyes were as gray as steel and almost as expressionless. He appeared as strong as he was menacing. Yet, his eyes called to her. Something about him was… familiar. _

_Abject fear became tenuous curiosity. As she became lost in his eyes, he cautiously approached her as if he'd known her fear. Was it possible that he wanted to comfort her? The moisture from his breathing coated her face and she was mesmerized. _

_He was… beautiful. _

_The leader, strong and purposeful, nuzzled her face and quickly dipped his head to lick her tattoo. She briefly panicked, wondering what he was about to do but after the firm wet stroke of his tongue on her body, she was lost to him. _

_The darkness that gripped her soul vanished. Warmth wrapped around her, seeped into her bones, and comforted her like a cozy blanket. She was safe. She no longer wanted to run away and couldn't remember why she would want to. _

_The leader nuzzled Hermione until she turned over and he positioned himself behind her. The pack excitedly yelped and amid anxious snapping from the group, he mounted her. He wrapped his mouth around her tattoo and sunk his teeth into her skin. She was paralyzed, unable to move away and unable to scream. He moved over her, covered her, his front paws pressing her down into the soil, holding her still and forcing her head low. His hind paws spread her legs. Helpless, she felt the seeping tip of his massive penis slide between her spread buttocks until it pressed against her unwilling sex._

_He meant to take her. _

_Confused, Hermione turned her head to look at the wolf that held her. The leader stared at her with the understanding of a human. He was reasoning – calculating in his movements. They were not the rote movements of millions of years of instinct and evolution. He was purposeful and he wanted her. _

_A low rumble emanated from his throat and Hermione thought that he would bite her again. He appeared to place effort into clearing his voice as his rumble changed into a low howl. In unison, his pack backed away a few feet but continued to look on. The leader turned toward Hermione and in a gravelly voice he enunciated, "You are one of us now!" _

_He spread her legs further apart and, with purpose, thrust inside of her. She screamed, and he howled into the night._

**A/N: Thank you for the warm reception this story has received. I appreciate each and every review! As always, thanks to the mighty Wartcap for the fabulous beta.**


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER 12**

The bathroom door blasted open creating an explosion that rivaled Hermione's scream. Wand extended, Harry stormed through the splinters and dust created by his blast and charged into the bathroom.

Startled, Hermione was torn from her nightmare, spilling bath water onto the tiled floor. Her nightmare ended but her screams wouldn't stop. Caught between sleep and wakefulness, she was shaken to her very core and was both confused and terrified. Her body was quaking, jostled back into reality by a frantic Harry, who held her with his two strong arms and relentlessly shook her.

Vulnerable, she stared at Harry, too shocked to speak. She was cold, wet, and scared. She didn't know how long she lay in the tub, but the water was cold and she was trembling. As she stared at Harry, she saw his frantic appearance. His grave concern for her was evident in his eyes. And she reacted physically. She held onto her stomach as pain attacked her. Defenseless and unable to scream, Hermione cried.

"Hermione?" he asked with trepidation. "Please don't cry. Tell me what's wrong?"

She met his gaze but responded only with sobs. She was finding it difficult to control herself. She knew her nightmare was just a dream, caused by her stress, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong with her.

"It's okay, darling. I'm here and you're safe," Harry said soothingly. As he sat on the edge of the tub, he reached out and pulled her wet hair out from across her face, smiling down at her encouragingly. She couldn't help but smile in return. She loved him. Hermione's sobs ebbed, as she responded to Harry's calming tone.

"Hermione, what happened?"

"Sorry, Harry, I must look a fright!" she said warily.

"Well, no more than usual," he jibbed and she slapped him playfully, splashing more water onto the floor.

"I had a nightmare, strange one really."

"As much as I like having a naked woman in my tub, I think you should get out of there, you look frightfully cold," he said as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Hermione looked down at herself and realized all the bubbles were gone and she was completely exposed to him. Yes, her nipples were a clear indication of how cold she was.

Hermione didn't hide herself from Harry as he helped her into his comfortable bathrobe. She tied the sash and turned toward him and realized that the time for a serious discussion had arrived.

Harry guided her through the rubble and into his bedroom, just on the other side of the destroyed door. He sat her on the edge of his bed and joined her. For a long while, neither one spoke but only stared at the wreckage Harry left behind. Hermione enjoyed the quiet comfort. Harry apparently knew that what she had to say was serious, and he didn't push her. He waited patiently for her to be ready to tell her tale.

"I left Remus." It was a simple straight forward statement. There seemed to be nothing more to say.

"My home is your home." Thankfully, Harry didn't need more. He was a true friend.

"But if I live here wouldn't I be interfering with your love life?"

"You are my love life."

"That's pretty sad, Harry Potter."

"Don't I know it." A few moments passed, each allowing the quiet to provide comfort. It was both soothing and reassuring. Each only needing the other's presence to provide succor and ease the distress.

"Harry?"

"Huh?"

"I'm confused," she said while pointing to the debris, "Couldn't you just use Alohamora?"

"That would've been too easy."

"Of course, and much less macho."

"Definitely, and I'm nothing if not macho."

"Definitely," she sarcastically agreed. "So, what happened to your guest bedroom and where am I going to sleep?"

"It was a nice guest bedroom, but what was the point when I didn't have any guests? Plus, the pinball machine is much more entertaining." He reached out and grabbed her hand. Smirking, he brought his lips to the back of her hand and gave it an open mouth kiss. It was exciting and disgusting all in one. "And you will be sleeping here, in my bed."

"But Harry, where will you sleep?"

"Here, in my bed."

"You'll not get in my knickers again, Harry Potter!"

"You're not wearing knickers, Hermione Lupin," Harry teased as he fingered her robe, sliding it aside to get a peak at her breasts.

"Okay," she said as she moved away from him, "I think it's time that I put on some clothes. I'll be back."

"I never have any luck." She heard him mutter as she walked away to retrieve her clothes. She couldn't conceal the smile that graced her lips. Harry was funny and he made her happy.

xxxxxx

"Hmmm, oh Harry, this is wonderful!"

"Yes, I know, I do it good don't I?"

"You are so full of yourself!"

"Now, you are full of me."

"Huh?"

"No matter, keep eating your lunch. I just thought it would've been nice if it were true."

"Weren't you dating… um, um, sorry, but I seem to have forgotten her name. You know, the brunette with all the teeth."

"Sarah, yes, well, she liked to bite and little Harry began to get very nervous around her."

"Little Harry?" she laughed so hard that her drink threatened to make an appearance through her nose. She pinched her nose tightly, encouraging her body to control itself. "Seriously, Harry. I do not want to be in your way. Maybe we should create a system or something so that when you want to have the flat to yourself you'll just send me a signal or an Owl or something."

"It's not important, Hermione. There is no one in my life now, but yes, I promise to create a system with you if it will make you more comfortable."

She smiled and continued eating. She was concerned that living with Harry would interfere in his life. She didn't want to be a burden on anyone. However, she believed him. She would not be bothering him. Quite the opposite, frankly. He seemed to enjoy having her with him and she enjoyed being there.

"What about _your_ love life?" Harry asked as he cleaned up the kitchen.

"I have none," she said and moved to help him. "I am determined to take my time to think about Remus and Severus. I need to be away from them both in order to really consider my options. They both want me, Harry. But I don't know what i_I_ /iwant.

"I love them both, in my own way. Remus is my husband but he hasn't acted like a proper husband should. Last night when I came home, Harry, he was frightening and I restrained him and ran away. I... I went to Severus' and spent the rest of the night there. But before coming here, I returned to my chambers and I overheard Remus speaking with Ron."

"Ron?" Harry asked surprised. "What was Ron doing there?"

"I don't know, Harry, but I heard Remus telling Ron how much he loved me and how he regretted everything."

"Wait, you said Remus was frightening. I want to hear more about that."

"He was angry and it looked like he was about to lunge at me. I didn't take any chances and I bound him and left him there."

"Bound?"

"Ahuh. Although, I returned several hours later and released him and, well, he cried…. Harry, he cried!"

"What did you do?"

"What did I do? What could I do, Harry? I hugged him and we were almost intimate when Severus came barging in to _save_ me! I don't know if he was saving me from me, from Remus, or saving me for himself!"

"He barged in?"

"Like my very own hero!" she snickered. "If I wasn't so confused, I'd be completely turned on by that!"

"What's going on with you and Severus?" Harry always seemed jealous of Severus. Although, he wasn't jealous of Remus and she didn't know why. Regardless, he was doing his best to be partial. That's all she could ask for.

"Nothing is going on that shouldn't, Harry. Well, we did a bit of kissing earlier today but that's it I promise!" she avowed and attempted to pinky-swear with him, but he waved her pinky away.

"Severus loves me and wants to marry me but he's already had his opportunity and ruined it. He's promised me he's changed and I believe him." Harry entwined his fingers with her and led her toward the living room. Although she hadn't had any alcohol since last night, she felt drunk. Dizzy and weary from emotional exertion. She didn't want to think about this anymore.

"Maybe I can take your mind off of both of them," Harry whispered suggestively into her ear and… nibbled.

She turned toward him and smiled adoringly. She had great affection for him, but her life was already complicated enough without adding him to the mix… again.

"Harry, I know that this is my decision, but what do you think I should do?"

He apparently realized the seriousness of her question because he moved back a reasonable distance and asked, "Are you scared of Severus?"

"No, of course not!" she answered, taken aback by his absurd question.

"Then you have your answer."

xxxxxxx

IT twitched.

Severus rolled over on the crisp cotton sheets, but the ache increased.

Blood that IT was draining from his body, mainly from his head if his increasing lightheadedness was any indicator, engorged ITs eager, yearning flesh.

Suggestive synapses played their part. Images of what IT wanted swam in the dizzying pit of his addled mind.

IT desired.

IT would have.

IT was angry that it could not be sated.

He smelled his pillow but all trace of her was gone. He wanted to talk to her, tell her anything, everything, but when he opened his mouth he faltered, remembering his solitude.

IT was sordid and depraved in its method, but IT was right. He wanted her, _they _wanted her.

"Hermione!" he grunted as turned over and lay on his front, straddling his pillow.

Ready, IT pointed magnetic North. IT didn't know she wasn't there because Severus wanted to believe so badly that she was.

IT was convinced. And IT was so excited IT never noticed Severus' hand grasping IT firmly. Nor did IT mention the strokes IT made in his palm, not her sweet, warm, pussy. As sweet as honey. So wet, so ready. Every time. Three times a day. On his bed. On the floor. On her hands and knees. Crying out. Grinding her hips against his.

With a grunt, IT came. Severus milked his pleasure over the pillowcase, imagined he could smell the musk of her hot, quivering sex. His sweating forehead leaned down onto the headboard and his eyes closed in defeat.

IT needed to be sated. IT needed the woman, the only woman, that could make IT happy. It was a hard taskmaster, but IT knew what was best for them both.

It must be obeyed.

**A/N: IT's back! You just gotta love IT! Thanks for your awesome reviews! You all rock! Much love to my beta and friend, Wartcap.**


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Hermione stared at her reflection in the mirror. Harry said she needed a distraction, so he was taking her out to eat at a posh restaurant. She trowelled on enough make-up to cover the dark circles under her eyes and to help her look fresh and dewy. Make-up was truly a magical thing.

Tonight she felt sexy. She had taken great care to create a cosmopolitan look; smoky eyes, minimal blush and deep red lipstick. Her dress was long, black and very sensual. It covered her completely, no exposed breasts or lower back, but no one could deny that not showing anything had ever been sexier.

She had commandeered Harry's bedroom in order to get ready for their evening. She had spent a long time in his shower and while she dressed, she hadn't seen him pop in there to get cleaned up. She hoped he did more with himself than just a quick Cleansing Charm. That would not make for a pleasant evening.

As she strapped on her heels, Harry whizzed by her, running into the bathroom. Good. He was planning on washing with soap and water. Thank God.

Harry said that wanted to surprise her. This didn't bode well. The only kind of surprises Hermione liked came in tiny velvet boxes and were a combination of platinum and diamonds. Somehow, she didn't think that was the kind of surprise he had in mind. That was a good thing. Harry was adorable, but he wasn't husband material. Come to think of it, neither were her two love interests.

Curiously, Harry Apparated her to The Palate of Heroes, having apparently forgotten the many times she told him of her extreme dislike for this establishment. Severus took her there several times as he enjoyed taunting her with memories of their first time together and how it all started, here, with food, booze, and a lot of deceit. Remus took her there in hopes of displacing those memories and creating new ones. And now, Harry. Certainly, there were other posh restaurants in Wizarding England!

Although, being one of the celebrated heroes of The Palate of Heroes definitely had its perks. Despite the throng of people eager to get in, they were seated immediately. Unfortunately, they soon realized one drawback to being a celebrated hero. They were seated prominently, in front of a large picture window so that anyone who cared to look in could see them. Just lovely.

Well, they wouldn't have much privacy but as they were not romantically involved, it didn't much seem to matter to Hermione.

"Merlin's balls! This is just fucking great!" Harry roared as he roughly pulled his chair out and plopped into it. "I spoke to the Manager and he said that this was the only table available that wasn't near the kitchen. I almost took it too, except I saw Malfoy and decided against it."

"What a glorious day when a Malfoy is given such a shabby seat!" Harry returned her smile having apparently seen the humor in the situation. "Harry, please, this is fine. It is Saturday night, after all. We had no reservations, and they seated us immediately. It must be nice being Harry Potter."

"It must also be nice being Hermione Granger," Harry said as he cradled her hands in his.

"I think I like that."

"Like what?"

"My maiden name. I think I'll change it back."

"Does that mean that you are definitely going to divorce Remus?"

"Harry, he's like a jealous monster. You should've seen him. He's convinced that I'm shagging every wizard out there. You and Ron included!"

"Hermione," Harry mumbled, "I miss you."

"Oh, Harry! I miss you, too! This is brilliant. We don't nearly get to go out as often as we used to. And I'm sorry for that. It is completely my fault. I know that my life is way too–"

"Hermione, wait! I mean, I… I…" He took a deep breath and tried again. "Hermione, what I mean to say is that I miss us, you and me, together."

She was confused and it apparently showed on her face.

"Dear Merlin, Hermione. You and me, a couple, shagging like bunnies. I miss _us!_" he shouted a bit too ardently, as patrons seated all around turned toward them. Some smiled.

Shite!

"Harry, would you keep your voice down!" She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Harry wasn't just being playful and teasing, he was serious. She could see it in his pained face. He was putting himself out there. Vulnerable and declaring his desire for her in the face of probable rejection.

"I miss us too, Harry. I do. I enjoyed sex with you. I enjoyed experimenting. But, I'm married."

"That's no excuse, Hermione. You already told me that you're going to divorce him! He doesn't deserve you. Severus sure as hell doesn't either. Heck, I don't even know if I deserve you, but all I know is that I miss you. I miss us. And I want to be with you again. I want to feel your skin against mine. I want to feel your depths…"

"Wow, Harry, that was beautifully said and very sensual."

"Well, I try," he added coyly.

"I need to visit the little ladies room. My knickers are… soaked," she whispered into his ear and grabbed her clutch and walked to the restroom.

Wow, she hadn't had decent sex in years and she really needed it! However, it wasn't only her desire for sex that had her seriously contemplating Harry's proposition. It was him. He was… Harry. They would remain friends regardless of the outcome. They were each other's first lover and she remembered fondly their practicing sessions throughout Hogwarts and then again when she returned to England after her clinical education in the States. Harry never forced her, but he was always ready, willing, and able. Not to mention that he was charming, adorable and her best friend.

Walking purposefully, making certain to add a sensuous and confident spring to her stride, she arrived at her table to find Remus sitting with Harry, a murderous look on his face.

They both turned to her when she approached the table and she could see that Remus had caused Harry pain. Harry refused to meet her gaze and just stared at a point in the distance.

Remus sniffed the air around her. "And you denied you two were having an affair." He attempted to mock her, embarrass her, ridicule her, but she would have none of it.

Hermione met Remus' eyes. There was contempt in his, satisfaction in hers, "You are interrupting my date, Remus Lupin, and you need to leave now."

"Hermione, really, you don't have to…"

"Shut up, Harry," Hermione interrupted.

Hermione felt powerful. She was in a showdown with her husband and she locked his stare. "What I do with Harry is none of your business. At least, not anymore. If you were so inclined to care, you would've been a better husband. Your jealousy and this macho crap goes nowhere with me."

She watched him as if in slow motion. He reached toward her, tentatively, as if awaiting her to attack, and made to touch her exposed shoulder. Pulling back, she moved closer to Harry, away from his reach, and extended her wand in defense. "Remus, unless you want to be remembered as Pedigree Chum, I suggest you leave with as much dignity as you have left because, if you don't, I'll can you and bag you before you can say bogies."

"Hi, guys," Ron said as he ran up to them, waiter flustered and at his heels.

"It's okay, sir. He's with us. But why you allowed this man," she pointed toward Remus, "to our table is beyond me."

Ron scanned the scene, apparently unable to comprehend the situation before him. "Hermione, Remus came with me to look for you."

"Ronald Weasley," she relayed calmly. "Sit down. I will deal with you later." Turning towards Remus, she arched an eyebrow, waiting for him to act.

Remus scanned the crowd. The patrons apparently chose to forgo their company and their good food for an even better form of entertainment. It appeared that all eyes were on them, some were smirking and others were shamefully laughing. A little girl at the end of the dining hall was standing atop her chair and she asked her mummy why the heroes were fighting. Hermione heard the mother answer her back saying something about 'cray' and 'some heroes.'

Yes… some heroes. You battle Voldemort, save the Wizarding world from the most evil despot ever known, and yet, one embarrassing public display and one becomes scandal fodder.

Hermione was certain Remus understood the scrutiny they were now under. Instead of leaving, like she thought he would, he reached into his inside coat pocket, withdrew a small decorative bottle and placed it on the table. "This is your birthday present. You deserve it and I would be remise if I didn't give you all that you deserve." With one last look at her, he turned on his heels and lumbered away through the formidable crowd and out into the dreary night.

Relieved by his retreat but fuming with indignity at the growing unwanted attention, Hermione stared at the crowd and barked, "Mind your own affairs!"

Resentment building, Hermione's fervor was roaring like a lion who had found its prey. Desperate for privacy, she swallowed her pride, her ardor arrested in lieu of a greater need, and she turned toward her friends. There remained two critical situations with which she had to deal with, Harry and Ron.

"Harry, take me home, please." She turned toward Ron. "Come with us, I'm not nearly done with you yet."

xxx

"Hermione, why did you have to be so tough on Ron? He really meant well," he asked as he tenderly massaged her feet.

"He meant well? You don't really believe that rot, do you? Harry, he was clearly working hard to get Remus and I back together regardless of Remus' treatment of me. I don't know whose well-being is more important to him, mine or Remus'. No, come to think of it, he wasn't thinking about either of us. He just didn't want me involved with Severus again. Everyone is always against that man and he's done nothing to deserve…. Oh, wait, that was a stupid thought. Yes, Harry, I guess Ron really did mean well."

They had returned from the restaurant with Ron in tow and she tore into him, letting him know in no uncertain terms that he had stepped way beyond his bounds and that his _help_ was no longer appreciated or welcomed. Despite her anger, she did her best to listen to his lame excuses.

The richest of them was finding out that Severus had been advising Remus on love and marriage! Hermione guffawed. Ron had expected her to be angry with Severus for _ruining_ her marriage but in actuality she was amused that Remus turned out to be even more gullible than she had ever imagined. She had to make sure to tell Severus. This was just too rich not to share.

"Are you planning on keeping your birthday present?"

"Huh? Oh that!" she snarled. "Oh, honestly! This is the second time he's given me this present." Hermione pulled her feet out of Harry's grasp and walked to the kitchen where she left her handbag and fished out the bottle. "Although, I thought it was a box he had given me last night, but anyway, I'd rather just toss it."

"What do you think it is?" he asked.

"I don't know." Hermione shook the bottle curiously.

"It's a very beautiful bottle. Maybe it's perfume."

Like an hourglass, the contents shifted from one end of the bottle to the other, as Hermione turned the bottle over in her hands. Unable to ascertain its contents, she paused a moment to admire the ornamental silver filigree on the cerulean hand-blown glass and she gently tugged on the cork stopper. The cork gently popped, slight pressure from within the bottle eager for release. Hermione pressed her nose to the aperture to sample the scent of perfume she believed it contained. She breathed in, inhaling a portion of a silvery powder, fine as dust, and as acrid as rotting flesh.

She careened back, in shock… in fright. Heaving the bottle across the room, Hermione flew off the couch, a concerned Harry at her side. An unsettling feeling overcame her, like fever attacking a man in the desert. She was confused and dizzy. The situation was baffling. She didn't understand why she was with Harry, in his flat, and not with her husband. She looked down at herself and was shocked at her attire. Dressed in her nightclothes, and Harry in his. She locked his stare, unable to hide her concern over the inappropriate situation. He returned her stare with equal perplexity.

"Harry?" she asked, befuddled and unable to form any coherent words.

"Hermione, darling, what's wrong?" He cried, apparently frightened for her.

Lightheaded and unsteady, Hermione was unable to remain upright and leaned backwards… falling. Quick reflexes had her safe in Harry's arms.

And she screamed.

Flesh burning flesh. His big strong hands burned into her as if searing their print into her very soul. They harmed her even as they held her protectively. She struggled to get away, to flee her attacker, to no avail. He held onto her, unable to understand the great harm he was causing her. She bawled, earnestly crying from the physical agony.

Her last vision was of a frightened Harry, eyes wide with worry. Alarmed, he stared at her. The pain overloaded her mind and although she struggled to remain conscious, that was a battle she was destined to lose. Just before oblivion claimed her, she heard Harry scream, "Your tattoo is on fire!"

**A/N: Thank you for your awesome reviews! Million thanks to Wartcap, my beta and friend. **


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

Severus sat at his dining room table. His newspaper was clenched in his fingers, crumpled by his tight grip. He was livid. The _Daily Prophet_ lay open, mocking him repeatedly with its caption, **Hero Love Triangle: Heroine Caught Red Handed!** The magical photo captured Hermione brandishing her wand at her husband while she appeared to restrain Harry. Ron, as thick as ever, was in the background staring at the scene before him with utmost befuddlement.

At least Ron was the only constant in his life. He never changed and would remain comfortably ignorant for the remainder of his years.

The article was typical for The _Daily Prophet_, with fantastic and fanciful tabloid journalism.

**"A ménage à trois was on the menu at the _Palate of Heroes_ last night as Hermione Lupin, nee Granger, (30) was seen by shocked onlookers with her wand arm on the wrong wizard. While having a romantic dinner with her war-hero lover, Harry Potter (29), her husband arrived bearing gifts. She openly threatened to curse him while dozens of patrons of the _Palate of Heroes_ looked on in horror. **

**Her husband, the gentle and revered war-hero, Professor Remus Lupin (49), attempted to reconcile with his cheating wife…."**

Severus growled in disgust and ripped the newspaper, taking satisfaction in reducing the article to shreds. Angry and frustrated, he made to throw the remainder of the newspaper into the fire when he heard a sudden sound from behind. Startled, he jerked around, wand extended, toward the noise. It was the unexpected sound of someone clapping that had shocked him. Offensively, he found himself faced with a clapping Remus, who, with apparent calm, was gloating, appreciating Severus' aggravation. He was leaning against Severus' entryway, the sturdy oak doorway framing his form, and he sauntered in and closed the door behind him. All the while, he locked eyes with Severus, challenging his presence.

"Frustrating, isn't it?" Remus smirked and thankfully ended his mocking applause. Brazenly, he slowly closed the distance between them and placed himself directly in front of Severus' wand.

With no noticeable fear, Remus turned down his nose at the wand now pointed directly at his chest and back up to meet Severus' stare. He was stunned. Remus had him off balance and he was momentarily speechless. Never had he seen Remus so bold, and certainly never with him.

Remus removed a newspaper from the crook of his arm and flung it into Severus' hearth. "I guess I no longer need this as I see you've already had the pleasure of reading it."

"How did you get in?" Severus asked angrily.

"You won't believe me if I told you."

"How?" Severus screamed into Remus' face, his own brashness returning.

"The door was not locked. I simply turned the handle and entered. How fortuitous for me."

"_Accio_ wand," Severus intoned, fully expecting Remus' wand to fly into his waiting hands. None came.

And Remus laughed. A hearty laugh that completely belied the current situation. He was wandless and defenseless against the wand still trained at his chest. Although he had the upper hand, Severus still didn't trust the beast.

"Where is your wand?"

"I came here without one as a testament to my sincerity. I am here to talk, seriously and without preamble, but talk nonetheless."

"I know what you're up to." Severus glared at him, challenging him to deny his accusations.

"As I am here to talk, I think it would be prudent for you to begin to, at the very least, make some sense."

"Lupin, I am not interested in playing games with you. If you truly are without defense, just know that I am not above cursing a defenseless lunatic."

"Don't take your anger out on me, Severus. Your lover has many others, as you clearly saw the newspaper article for yourself just moments ago. You are angry with her. Keep your anger in perspective, my friend. We are kindred spirits for I feel as betrayed as you."

Curiosity was burning a hole in Severus' stomach. He was jealous and angry. He wanted to know what happened last night at the restaurant and most importantly, what was going on between Hermione and Harry. Would she, could she, betray him like that? He knew she had a magical compulsion to be with her husband, he couldn't fault her for that. It was not her fault Remus marked her. However, if she was truly involved with Harry again that was something completely of her choosing. He had practically groveled the last time they were together. For Merlin's sake, he even told her he would marry her! Well, he did not lie. And that was the problem. He changed for her, wanted to marry her and she chose someone else. Harry, of all people. Another fucking Potter taking what rightfully belonged to him. Yes, Remus was right. He did feel betrayed.

Strange that he would find kinship with Remus.

"Hermione is not my lover, Remus, no matter what scenarios your addled mind creates."

"Not your lover?" he goaded. "Well, I would imagine that she is much too busy with Ron and Harry to be bothered with you. After all, she's had you and she may not care to tread down that road again."

"You're not fooling me, Lupin," Severus drawled, digging his wand into Remus' chest for greater effect.

"On the contrary, Snape, I'm here to tell you about your little lover. You see, last night I followed her to _The Palate of Heroes_ and much to my delight she and Harry were seated in front of a large picture window, making my task all the easier. I didn't have to wait long to see them snuggling, holding hands and whispering endearments to one another. Harry was as horny as hell; him I can read like a book. She's a different story, you see. She's flirtatious with everyone… but me, that is. I had to get close to realize that she was just as horny as Harry." Remus emphasized his point by tapping his nose.

"I can smell my mate, did you know that?"

"She will never be your mate!" Severus grizzled through clenched teeth. Rage gripped him like a Horntail dragon protecting its egg, and he threw Remus to the ground, his head barely missing the flagstone hearth.

Clutching his head, Remus struggled to get upright but his efforts were fruitless. Severus loomed over him, almost as mad as Remus, and held him down with a bare foot pressed to his breast bone.

Remus laughed. Hysterics beyond what Severus could have imagined appeared to overwhelm Remus. His head lolled back and forth, crying, but apparently not from the pain Severus was certainly causing him, pressed into the floor as he was, but from complete and illogical amusement.

Severus didn't know what to do. Remus was mad. As mad as a hatter. He had dealt with madness before and… killed him, ridding the world of a great evil. Would he end up killing Remus as well?

Certainly not. Remus was not the Dark Lord. He was not of equal caliber. However, he was trying to ruin Hermione's life. That alone was cause for murder.

Remus wasn't bold. There was value in being audacious. The Dark Lord was many things but he wasn't covert. Everyone knew who he was, what he stood for, and the means with which he would get them. And if you didn't agree with him, you were his enemy. It was simple and straightforward.

Taking the cowardly path, Remus chose to be secretive and deceptive. He presented the world with a false persona that they were just too eager to accept… a docile werewolf. That was such a load of crap.

Severus removed his foot, and, preparing for Remus to react, he maintained his wand steady. He had to calm down. He tried to remember what Hermione said to him just the day before. She would not entertain a physical relationship with Harry again. He had to hold on to that. But the picture in the _Daily Prophet_ was seared into his brain. He needed a Memory Charm to scrub the image away. She appeared to be protecting Harry, or was that protecting Remus? Regardless, she looked beautiful and she was on a romantic date with Harry – there was no doubt there. He bet the little shit-face was trying to work his charms on her. He could have any woman in the magical world and he was working to get into her knickers.

However, Harry was not his only problem, and certainly not the most serious. Severus had to regain his perspective. Remus marked Hermione and he was trying to finish what he started. Severus couldn't allow that to happen. He researched the silvery powder Remus disguised as Hermione's birthday present, and while he didn't find anything conclusive, it was clear that it served a part of the marking ritual.

If Remus had succeeded in delivering this _gift_ to Hermione, he didn't know what lasting effect it would have and if he would have any chance of saving Hermione from a life of enslavement. Thankfully, he intercepted it and she was never exposed. Now all he had to do was ensure that Remus never had the opportunity again.

He turned toward the man sprawled on the floor and fired thin, snake-like chords from his wand and bound Remus. The instant Severus fired the incantation, Remus began struggling to break free. He met Severus' glare with his own and screamed, "What is it with you people and Binding Charms?"

"What is it with you and Memory Charms? You seem to have an affinity for them. Did you know that Hermione doesn't recall how she received the tattoo? All she knows are the lies you fed her. But I shall tell her the truth soon enough." Severus felt powerful. He had this lunatic bound and he was going to get the truth out of him one way or another.

Remus was seething. His anger welled as a geyser springs up from the earth. "You are fucking her! You lying son of a bitch!"

Severus ignored the enraged accusations and, in one swift movement, levitated Remus so that he hovered in front of him. He growled and thrashed about in mid air, spraying revolting spittle and sweat everywhere as he continued to berate Severus.

Charging into his stores, Severus grabbed what he needed and returned with a small green bottle of Veritaserum. He placed a full Body-Bind on Remus and uncorked the stopper from the bottle. With one last smirk, he delivered the contents down Remus' rigid neck and then removed the curse. The liquid gurgled in his throat but as he pulled in air to breathe, the potion easily traveled down his gullet.

Excellent. Now all he had to do was orient him to ensure he was lucid and, of course, truthful.

"What is your name?"

"Remus John Lupin, you fucking bastard!"

"Who's the Minister of Magic?"

"You moron, it's Kingsley! Let me down, you pussy!"

"What's today's date?"

"Merlin's left nut! It's Sunday, the twenty-first of September, 2009."

"Lastly, what does Peeves call you?"

"You fucking piss pot!" He struggled, but was forced to be truthful. "He calls me 'Loony loopy Lupin', okay, you tosser?"

"Brilliant." Severus pulled up a chair and sat in front of the suspended Lupin, ready to hear the truth. "Now, give me details. What did you do to Hermione?"

"I marked her, you piece of shit! On our anniversary last year, I fucked her and bit her. She doesn't remember because I used a Memory Charm on her. You know Hermione, she would've been pissed." Remus laughed heartily as if he was at a pub with his best mate telling naughty jokes.

"What are the ramifications for her?" Severus asked, seriously pondering the consequences. He was as somber as Rodin's Thinking Man.

"I know what you are getting at, Snape. You're trying to find out if she will ever be yours again. The answer is unequivocally 'no'! She will never willingly be yours again. She belongs to me and to others in my pack."

Taken aback, Severus, as if a victim of the Imperious Curse, unconsciously walked over to Remus and struck him with his fist, satisfyingly snapping his head back. He wanted to pummel him, but he needed to keep him bound and suspended to continue his questioning.

Remus' head lolled and blood oozed from his mouth. There was a definite gratifying experience choosing to use a fist instead of a wand. Although, Severus' fist would soon be in need of some ice.

"I will kill you, Lupin, for what you have done to her."

Lupin's laughter turned maniacal. It was disturbing and frightening. Severus was serious in his threat to kill him and yet Remus was too delusional to recognize it. "Haven't you ever heard of The Law of the Pack? You can kill me and she still won't be yours. When I die she will be the property of the next alpha wolf and if he's so inclined he can share her with the rest of his pack. She belongs to the wolves, Snape. I'm not her only mate. She belongs to my entire pack."

**A/N: I hope you all are enjoying this story. Thank you for your generous reviews. I am blessed to have such a loyal readership. You guys are awesome! Thanks, as always, to my friend and beta, Wartcap.**


	15. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

Bright sunlight filtered through her closed eyelids, disturbing her cherished sleep. Her head was pounding and her body ached. All she wanted to do was sleep but the sun knew of no such desires. Crisp autumn air caressed her body and she shivered. Reaching out for her blanket, she found it, wrapped around a warm body.

It took her a moment to orient herself to her surroundings. As soon as she opened her eyes and realized that she was not at home, she recalled were she was. Although, that did nothing to explain why Harry was in bed with her. Dressed in only her thin nightgown, she reached out and pulled on the blanket. She was cold and from the looks of it, Harry was warm. She was able to get it loose enough so that she could shimmy underneath it. His welcoming heat was glorious and she pressed her body against his, willing his heat to warm her.

Harry turned toward her and held her close, his arms wrapped around her delicate frame. His embrace heated her skin and as she made to tuck herself closer, he bolted away from her and out of bed. Obviously distressed, she reached out to him to offer comfort and he jumped back, arms in the air as if too afraid to touch her.

"Harry, are you all right this morning?"

He didn't answer, instead he reached toward her with a single finger and with the utmost briefness, touched her bare upper arm, immediately recoiling back as if afraid she would shock him.

"What is your problem? You're touching me as if I were putrid beetle dung."

"It doesn't hurt?"

"What, your finger?" He nodded in the affirmative.

"Well, Harry, if you had a decent manicure once in a while I wouldn't have felt that sharp nail, but other than that, it was… ordinary."

"I wonder why it didn't hurt you?" he asked.

"Harry Potter, why in Merlin's name would you want to hurt me?"

"I don't _want_ to hurt you but after last night I want to make certain that I don't."

"Last night?" she asked, not able to recall much of the evening prior. "Harry, I don't remember much. I must've had another blackout. Sometimes I find that I can't remember things when I drink."

"You don't remember? Hermione, I touched you and you screamed bloody murder! It was only because you passed out that I didn't have to cast a Silencing Charm to prevent the Aurors and the Muggle police from converging at my door.

"You must be over-reacting, Harry." She dismissed him, assuming he was being playful.

He shook his head in the negative. "Bits of stuff, I'm serious. And to top it off your tattoo was burning."

"Burning?" she repeated and ran to the mirror to inspect her skin.

"Oh, Harry, it's fine."

"Well, yeah, now! I put some healing paste on it. You can thank me now."

"You're exaggerating, how could it have been burning?"

Harry held onto her, his hands on her hips and he searched her eyes. The time for banter was apparently over, he was serious. "Hermione, I'm not exaggerating. It was on fire. You passed out. I brought you to my bed and applied the healing paste and I... I made certain not to touch you."

His hold on her troubled her. She was unsettled. Anxiousness set in, like a rock in her stomach, and she needed to break free. She squirmed her way out of his gentle hold. "It's okay, Harry. I'm well. I think I'll go and visit my parents." She left him standing there and she walked into the bathroom to prepare herself for her day.

Despite what she had told Harry, she had no plans to visit her parents. She wanted to see her husband and she didn't feel comfortable sharing that with him, knowing that he would not agree. While she cared for Harry and his opinion mattered to her greatly, his opinion of her husband was clear and she had no desire engaging in an argument.

Of course, his attitude toward Remus changed when she told him that she was no longer happily married. She couldn't blame Harry for that. It did seem, however, that as soon as she revealed that he became eagerly interested in resuming their sexual relationship. So, while he was her friend and she loved him, he was not impartial in this situation. So long as there was a glimmer of hope, he would continue to disagree with any plans she made to return to her husband.

She had to keep it a secret. She rationalized it as best she could, but deep down a part of her struggled with having to hide anything at all. Remus wasn't a secret lover, he was her husband.

In the interest of keeping the peace, she would keep her plans to herself.

The steam of the shower comforted her, soothing her sensitive skin. As she washed, she thought on what Harry said to her about her tattoo. It seemed like such a strange tale, a burning tattoo, yet, Harry had no reason to lie to her. And he was serious. Curiously, she passed her soapy hand over her tattoo searching for evidence of any scaring. She found none. Her skin was smooth and even.

Bending down to wash her legs, she became disorientated. Unable to grasp hold of anything, she fell over, hard, onto the tiled floor. Naked, wet, and now cold, she attempted to reach for a towel, hung high on a rack on the opposite wall, but a sharp pain in her wrist prevented her from extending her arm. The pain was unyielding. With no other choice, she called for Harry. Barely a moment later he entered, wand at the ready, for the second time in two days. This was getting old. She had to find a way not to be so weak and in perpetual need of a male hero.

Well, at least Harry didn't blast the door to bits… again.

The entire scene reminded her of Severus, running in to save her from Remus. Smiling to herself at the memory, she allowed Harry to help her up from the floor and slowly into a robe. Still dressed in his pajama bottoms and no shirt, Hermione admired his muscular and tanned body. He was beautiful. However, he didn't try to hold onto her, like before. And if there was any time that she needed physical contact, it was now.

He was gentle, but with an angry edge. All she wanted was to be held and she reached out to him and he stepped back. She extended her hand to him and he didn't take it. Refusing to engage in this ridiculous dance, she reached out again, grabbing him by his waistband and pulled him against her. Forcefully taking from him what she needed. He was stiff and unyielding. Not caring, she held on. She embraced him and pressed against him, feeling his physical warmth, if none emotionally.

Lifting her eyes to his she just had one simple question, "Why?"

"I don't want to be an additional burden."

"A burden?" she asked, surprised. "You will never be that for me… ever. I love you, Harry Potter. I need you. Plain and simple."

Tears welled in his eyes and he turned away as if saddened by her declaration. Confused, she brought her uninjured hand to his face and turned him back to her. Holding onto him, she felt his cold exterior melt into the warmth she was accustomed to. Her Harry was returning.

All thoughts of seeing her husband vanished. As if a fog was lifting, she recalled her anger, held onto it like a lifeline. She would not go see him. If he was truly sorry, as she heard him tell Ron, he would come to her and apologize. She was easy enough to find.

The sash to her robe fell open, the loose bow unable to remain tied with the friction of their bodies melding. His tears continued, although it seemed that his sadness was waning. As if on instinct, she extended her tongue and licked a tear away. Familiarity with which they haven't shared in a handful of years came roaring back and he dipped his head and kissed her. Passionate and possessing, he tasted her. He was dominant and he seized control over her. Her body remembered him, as they both explored, relearning the hard lines and soft plains of the other.

Yearning and need were the only urges she experienced. Fleeing was no longer an option. She welcomed his touch, no burning and no feelings of anxiousness claimed her. She felt free, like she was supposed to feel. Sex with Harry was always beautiful. Not so much the act itself, but the tenderness with which they loved each other and the trust they shared. It was exciting, and sensual.

Cradled in his arms, she found herself lifted and held lovingly as he kissed her and carried her to his bed. Lifting her injured wrist gently, he kissed the underside, licking the tender flesh. Grabbing his wand, he whispered a Healing Charm and her wrist was strong again.

Captivated by his attentions, she felt as if she was plunging, happily, into a passion she had not known before. Her ardor was profound and Harry' passion appeared equally as potent. He moved down her body, sensually kissing her. Shaking with need, he appeared to sense her want and he moved over her heated sex. He tasted her, licked her folds with passion. His enthusiasm brought her quickly close to the precipice. Her pleasure was building. Instead of entering her, he teased her, passing his fingers over her entrance again and again. Empty and in need she pushed her body down onto his hands, pressing her intent.

On the edge of release, she gasped as Harry pulled away. Confused, she turned to him and they locked eyes. He appeared as confused as she felt. His focus returned to her sex, yet he was no longer passionate; he was clinically absorbed. He passed his fingers over her again, as if responding to an unnatural compulsion to scrutinize her sex. Pulling away from him, she sat up and stared at him, expressing her confusion.

Worry claimed her. Harry appeared shocked and it took him a moment to collect himself, further adding to her unease.

"Hermione?"

"What is it, Harry?"

Rubbing his face to clear his weariness, he pressed on. "Hermione, your hymen is intact."

She stared at him, in shock and disbelief.

"You're a virgin."

**A/N: Whoa! How does she get herself into these situations? LOL!  
Missing Severus? Don't miss the next chapter! He's back!!!! **

**11/15/08: An Anon reviewer just asked if this was still a Sev/Herm fic. _Um... yes!_ I have not waivered at all from the ship. However, I do not believe that our main characters have to be in every chapter - together. Their lives are more than just each other and as they live their lives, they grow and we hope that they will eventually find love in each other. I won't give away the ending, but stick around and I won't disappoint you. **

**I WANT YOU ALL TO ENJOY THE RIDE AND I HOPE THAT YOU ARE. Thank you for your fabulous** **reviews! ~Ruthie**


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

Life was cruel. Either she was the product of a Christian miracle or the laughing stock of a cruel magical joke. However, after two days of much respite and contemplation at her parents' home, she felt much better. She ate chocolate and sobbed her heart out. A simple visit to a gynecologist, and her hymen was severed, quickly and dispassionately. Twice in one lifetime, her cherry was 'popped.'

With no men to distract her, she was able to clear her mind and her choice was clear. And she wanted Severus Snape! She was giddy and desperate to get to him! She had vacillated between her choices and finally came to the conclusion earlier this morning that she loved him and just as important, she _needed_ him. The last two years of her life with Remus had been miserable. Nothing could change the past. It was what it was and she didn't want to repeat it. While she had always complained about Severus' attitude, it made him… him and she wanted _him_.

It was her giddiness that led her to Severus' door once more, sheer giddy desperation. Three forceful knocks found her pulled inside Severus' chambers, his grip tight on her robes. Strongly, he held her, his eyes wild with concern. She remained tightly in his grip while his other hand pressed against the closed door, protecting her from harm. His care was evident. He was strong and protective. He _was_ her knight in shining armor, albeit swathed in black fabric and full of passionate fury. He was a maelstrom of polarizing emotions. Bereft without his passion, she needed him to fill her void.

"It's okay, Severus, put me down!" she laughed.

"Hermione, what's wrong? Why in Merlin's name did you knock so hard?" he asked earnestly.

"Because I just had to see you!" she professed and smiled at him, unable and unwilling to control her delight.

Spilling over with exuberance, he became a willing prisoner caught in her ardor, and he embraced her, welcoming her into his arms. Breathing deeply, she allowed his scent to penetrate her, and satisfy her aching spirit. His strength comforted her and fortified her. This simple embrace was a symbol of a world gone right. A silent conversation between two hearts whose need for one another conquered rational thought.

Unbeknownst to him, his welcoming arms validated her decision. She melted into him and would have stayed there as if glued to him for an eternity, but too soon he pulled back, as if waiting for an explanation.

"Severus, it's so good to see you and I hope you don't mind but I just had to come over as soon as possible, you see I was at my parents home for a couple of days and I was there because I needed the time alone, and you would never believe what started it all, but I'll tell you that later but what I really want…"

"Witch, would you please breathe! Slow down and start from the beginning." He was teasing her. She could tell by his wayward smile that he was happy she was there.

"I've made my decision," she said slowly and clearly. Nervousness attacked her as she realized her choice may have come too late. He had warned her not to take too long. She had hurt him and she hoped that her declaration would be the start of making it up to him. "If you will still have me, I would be honored… to be had." Trembling, she stared at her hands, not wanting to look into his face, for fear of what she would find. She was so scared of his rejection. He was the one man whom she absolutely adored and if he didn't want her it would tear her apart. She also wanted to right her life again, to correct the mistake she had made by walking out on him in the first place.

She found herself flying, enveloped in his arms as he spun her around the room in sheer and utter delight. And Severus Snape laughed, a heartfelt laughter filled with joy and happiness. It was an enchanting sound and she simply held onto him and screamed into the swishing air, "I love you!"

Blissfully out of touch with reality, time was irrelevant. She was in his arms, soaring through the air and captured in his ardor. He kissed her passionately, with a devotion she had never experienced before. He loved her and he wanted her still.

Breathing became necessary and they pulled apart, resting their foreheads against the other. Leaning back, he searched her eyes and whispered, "And I love you, Hermione."

Warmth surrounded and comforted her spirit. There were still many challenges ahead of them, but with his ardent love and devotion, she was confident that they would be able to conquer all that life threw at them.

"Now that we have established the most important information," he teased as he dropped onto the sofa with Hermione in his lap, "you can tell me what you were trying to say before."

"Oh, Severus, you'll never believe what has happened!"

"If you're speaking about having sex with your former lover, then you're wrong. I was the only one who believed it." Although he appeared to be taunting her, she could tell the _Daily Prophet_ article and any potential truth behind it bothered him.

"I have not had sex with Harry! But that's not what I wanted to talk about," she said quickly hoping to change the subject. "Severus, my hymen grew back," she declared with eyes wide and pleading for him to help her figure out the magic behind it.

He jerked backwards, as if on the receiving end of a physical blow to the head. He was shocked, that much was clear. "Severus! What was it? What kind of magic can do that?" she shrieked, upset by his reaction. He quickly rose from the sofa, knocking her aside in the process. He appeared to be calculating something, thinking of something important but refusing to share. She was desperate for some answer and he appeared as dazed and upset as if it had happened to him. That, at least, would've been more pleasant for her.

"I, uh… I… I need to leave, I have a class soon," he muttered, unable or unwilling to share his thoughts.

"Please, Severus, you're scaring me," she shouted. Wanting to have his full attention, she went to him and forcefully held him so that he needed to concentrate on her and her pleas.

He took a moment to take deep breaths and collect himself. He pulled away from her, an invisible force demanding that he pace, back and forth, as he contemplated the situation before him. With determination, he turned toward her and asked, "Hermione, when did this happen? I want you to tell me everything you can about the events that lead up to it."

"I've been trying to think about what would cause this. I haven't been hexed or cursed, at least not that I can identify. However, there was a strange event the evening before I realized it had grown back." Searching his eyes, she was encouraged to continue. "Harry and I were talking and I became dizzy and when he caught me, his touch burned. I passed out as a result of the immense pain. I don't recall much of the event. Harry had to fill in the blanks."

"Burned you? How?"

"I'm not certain. All I know was that when his skin touched mine, it was an immense pain the likes which I can only compare to the Cruciatus curse."

"Where?"

"Oh, on my arms. I was falling and he was able to catch me. My bare arms touched his skin."

Familiarity born from years of love and friendship had him pulling up her sleeves, without seeking permission, as he inspected her body for signs of burning. "Severus, there are no scars. Although, there is more. What happened next I do not recall at all, probably because I was unconscious from the pain. Harry said that my tattoo was on fire." She pulled her blouse away to reveal her tattoo, but it was clear, as before, without signs of scaring or burning of any sort. He tentatively reached out, calculatingly, and felt the skin around her tattoo, but never directly touching it.

"What made you dizzy, Hermione? Do you recall coming in contact with a strange silvery powder?"

She stared at him, dumbfounded, "Yes… the night my tattoo burned I opened a bottle. I thought it was perfume and I wanted to smell it. The powder went all over my face and in my nose. I threw the bottle across the room and then I became very disoriented."

"Where did you get this bottle?"

"When I went out to dinner with Harry. The night of the _Daily Prophet_ fiasco, Remus gave it to me. He said it was my birthday present."

Doing his best to restrain his emotions, Severus was obviously furious. His distress on her behalf was appreciated. It was curious, though, that up until this moment, in retelling the events to Severus, she hadn't given it much thought. While she wanted to understand why her hymen had regenerated, she hadn't thought to investigate, to ask herself the proper questions, to understand. This was most unlike her. She was always so curious. She didn't know what was happening to her. There was only one thing that she was certain about and that was of feeling confused and as if she were living in a dream, a foggy dream.

"Have you had your situation rectified?" he asked seriously.

"My situation? What do you mean?" she reacted, unable to understand his questioning.

"Your virginity, has it been… taken care of?"

"Oh, that! Yes!" she conveyed happily.

He looked dejected and turned away from her. She didn't understand his reaction. He was unhappy but with a definite angry edge. "Who was it? Harry again?"

"What?" she cried angrily. She was speechless and quickly ashamed that his assumption was close to the mark.

"No, Severus. My virginity has been _taken care of_ by a physician. I had it surgically severed."

A raucous laughter filled the room as Severus apparently enjoyed her tale. "Surgically severed?"

"Yes, severed. As in sliced, slashed, nicked and removed! I'm glad you're enjoying this so much, but I'd really like to understand why it grew back in the first place."

"Pardon me, love," he chuckled, unable to hide his mirth.

"I'm not a masochist. I didn't need that kind of pain again. Sex is supposed to be pleasurable." Severus' laughter was infectious. How could she not join in his merriment when a laughing Severus was such a rare and glorious sight? "God must be a man to put a woman through that once, let alone twice!" With that bit of divine inspiration, they both laughed with relief and delight.

"Hermione, I don't know if God is a man, but _I_ am, and I would never hurt you."

"And that is just one of the many reasons why I love you so much, Severus." They held each other in silence, each enjoying one another. He held her tightly, his warmth penetrating her clothes, and she relished his embrace. Pushing aside her blouse, he lightly caressed her shoulder, sensuously… deliberately. She felt loved, wanted and desired. Longing for his touch, she faced him and he kissed her, passionately, as if fulfilling a desperate need to have her. A cavern of desperation and pain had gripped her for much too long. Severus' passion would satiate her and make her whole.

Unable to stopper his passion, he gently pushed her back against the sofa. She was ready to take what her heart already claimed. It was then that an unwelcome murkiness moved slowly through her consciousness, confusing her. The clarity with which she had been so grounded, went out from under her, unsettling her. She recalled the handsome and gentle face of her husband and guilt gripped her. Pulling back, she attempted to say something, anything, but stammered. Her hesitance caught his attention and the shine left his eyes. As if understanding her concern, he became hard and accusatory.

"What is it?"

Confused, she became upset and cried. Severus reached out to her, offering comfort but she pulled away, unable to comprehend her distress. Moments ago she relished being in his arms but now she became anxious and uneasy. She didn't want him to hold her and she didn't want to be in his chambers. A dark cloud claimed her and she couldn't concentrate on anything but getting away.

"Severus, please forgive me," she sputtered, "but I don't understand what I'm doing here. I think I should leave now. Remus is probably worried about me."

He became as furious as a thunder storm on a tumultuous night. A deep guttural sound reverberated from his chest. The shadow on his face attempted to hide his pain. Turning away, he rubbed his face harshly, whether attempting to rub out his anger or his pain, it was unclear. However, it was obvious that she had caused him pain… again.

As he moved away from her, the haze that pervaded her mind began to dissipate. Her memory returned and she… remembered.

"No!" she screamed in desperation as the memories and comprehension came flooding back to her awareness. At the return of her clarity, she fell to the floor and huddled against herself seeking comfort. Her screams became cries of anger and confusion. Tears of regret coated her face, a testament to her shame. Severus stayed away, refusing to come to her. She wanted him – needed - him but he would not venture any closer. Agony ripped at his soul as equally as it did hers. His face was a window to his tortured soul. She grieved for him, for hurting him again and again. Unable to fathom why she would vacillate again when her mind had been certain, she howled, the agony tearing a hole in her stomach. The void returned and nothing would close it.

"Severus, please, I'm sorry," she sobbed, "I need you!"

"Hermione!" he growled, swallowing his ache. "You and I will never be. Not because of me but because of _you_. Do you even understand why you are doing this? Have you bothered to investigate?" He threw a glass across the room as to punctuate his questions. He was angry, his anguish breaking free.

"Severus, please!"

"No! I will not hear any more excuses! You are Hermione bloody fucking Granger! Forget what Hermione Lupin would do, what would Hermione Granger do in the face of such a horrid mystery? Figure it out Granger!

"Think, Hermione, think! Use that brain of yours! You vacillate between wanting Remus and hating him. Your desire for my touch caused this change to happen! I touched you before, but it was only when you physically desired me in return that you pulled away from my touch!" There was urgency in his voice that hadn't been there before, a desperation.

"You experience black-out sessions that you never had before; you have a wolf tattoo that you don't remember getting; Remus gives you a silvery powder and the next moment you are burning and your hymen grows back! Why?" In one movement, he approached her and grabbed her by her arms, practically attempting to shake the answers from her.

"I don't know!" she screamed, angry at herself for not having the answers.

He let go of her, tired and frustrated. "Then I suggest you find out. And when you do, you may need a friend. Make sure to go to Harry, unless you find a way to reverse your… situation."

His words were harsh but she could see the pain behind the words. Scared of being hurt again, he was trying to protect himself. She didn't want to hurt him and he was right, she needed to find out what was happening to her.

"I'll find out, I promise, Severus. I'll be back." Her tears flowed, her pledge sounded empty even to her own ears.

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

"I love you, Severus," she declared. Defeated, she turned away and opened his front door, whispered a 'goodbye' and she was gone.

A/N: Thank you for your lovely reviews! Love to Wartcap and Jennifer.


	17. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

Hopelessly, Severus sank to his worn flagstone floor, and with hands to face, he wept. Hermione had left with a vow to return, but he couldn't believe it. The odds were not in his favor. Bemoaning his lot in life, Severus Snape, war-hero, Head of Slytherin House, and world renowned Potions Master was a weeping, romantic fool.

He didn't want to cry, didn't want to feel, but he had long ago given Hermione his heart. Years earlier he would've laughed at anyone crying over lost love. He had learned that lesson long ago and had promised himself it was the first and last time he would experience that sort of abandonment again. His heart had hardened with that experience and it took one slip of a girl to soften him. He didn't like his new feeble self, but he was in too deep to change.

Despondent, his tears rolled down his face untouched, cementing a path of misery. From his position on the hard stone, he scanned his room and recalled his brief moment of happiness when Hermione entered his chambers and he realized she had chosen him, in spite of her internal struggle between whom she truly was and who she was becoming. However, when she told him of her regenerated hymen, he knew that Remus had somehow managed to expose her to the silvery powder, activating and accelerating the curse he had placed on her. There was nothing more for which to fight. She would continue to vacillate, to berate herself over whom she wanted and who she was forced to want. Her challenge would never cease. Remus had won.

Why didn't he just tell her? He was so angry that he could flog himself! He never should have let her leave. He was a coward of the highest order. Too afraid that the Mark would prevent her from believing him, he decided to push her to investigate for herself. To use her brain and fight the pull, to engage in an activity that was so very i_Hermione Granger_/i. It was a poor excuse for having hurt her, but he wanted her to fight for herself, even though she didn't understand why she needed to fight.

He pushed himself up off the floor, rubbed his face harshly and ran out of his chambers in search of her. Determined, he ran through the corridors, eradicating all doubt from his mind and spirit. Together, they might be able to find a way. His heart soared with hope as he mounted stairs, dashed past perplexed students and ran directly to the one place he was sure the old i_Hermione Granger_/i would try first, the library. As he ran inside, he saw her sitting at a table strewn with books and she was crying, her head in her arms. Regret set in and he carefully approached her. Books surrounded her, most of them he had read himself in his quest to learn more about werewolves. She obviously understood his surreptitious plea. Placing a hand gently on her back, she lifted her head from her arms and he saw the hope in her tired red-rimmed eyes.

"Severus?"

"Yes, darling, I am so very sorry. I will never abandon you again," he professed. His eyes pleaded with her to understand and to forget his blunder. Hermione was about to say something when Madam Pince, the Librarian, arrived with a glass of water.

Giving Severus a stern look, she placed her arms around Hermione and consoled her. "There there, drink up. I don't know what's wrong, but I've taken the liberty of Flooing your husband to let him know that you were here and in distress."

"You WHAT?" both Severus and Hermione screamed in unison.

"Why yes, I can't have you in the library disturbing the students. Not to mention that if you are not well it is your husband who should take care of you." She punctuated her opinion with a pointed look at Severus.

"Irma," Severus said flatly, "please have all of these books immediately delivered to my chambers. Mrs. Lupin and I would prefer to conduct our research with some modicum of privacy." He looked his nose down on her and she reacted, as she always did to his demands, with huffs and puffs, berating him under her breath as she went about doing exactly as he demanded. For a witch who just surprised them, thankfully, she was still quite predictable.

Severus led Hermione by the elbow and out of the library. She turned to him, her beautiful face marred by a perpetual confounded affect. "Severus, I don't understand what is going on."

"I know."

"Where are we going?"

"To my chambers, only for a moment to get some items, and then we shall begin our research."

"Together?"

"Yes, Hermione. I shall not leave you alone again."

They quickly arrived at his rooms and while Severus rummaged to find the items he wanted, Hermione remained standing near the door, frightened and anxious. Although he ached to comfort her, he knew that would not help. It would only increase her anxiety and activate the curse. His only recourse was to help her find a way out of this predicament.

As he packed the needed items, his Floo activated and the books from the Library arrived. Removing them from the hearth, he was startled when Madam Pince inserted her head into the Floo. With a scowl on her face she bellowed, "You still owe me several books, Professor!"

"Yes, thank you for reminding me," he said belligerently. "I shall return them within the week, of that you can be…"

He was interrupted as another head appeared in the flames. Remus pushed the Librarian out of the way and he glared at Severus, his eyes more furious than the dancing flames around his head.

"Where's my wife?" he barked as he scanned the room.

Fear gripped him and his chest tightened although he would never show any fear toward this madman. "Do you see her, Remus?"

He asked the question, but was too scared to turn around for fear of giving her away. There was a slim chance that, just maybe, he couldn't see her from his low vantage point and the distance from the hearth to the entrance of his chambers.

"No, but I know she's with you!" His growl was deep but Severus would not be intimidated.

Remus turned his head away, obviously in conversation with someone else on his side of the Floo. When he returned to Severus, his smirk was filled with maliciousness. "Irma just told me that you and Hermione would be i_researching_/i in your chambers! Now what kind of research could you be doing with my wife, Snape?"

"This conversation is over." Severus pulled back. He attempted to cover the title of the books that were now on the rug beside him. As he did so, he knew that it would not be successful.

Remus' anger boiled, erupting into a rage that Severus had not seen in anyone other than the late Dark Lord. Remus now knew what they were doing and he was not happy. Again, he turned toward someone on his side of the connection and when he returned he bellowed, "You cannot help her, you fool! No matter how many books you have, there is nothing that will change the situation! Unless you are me or from my pack, she will never be yours again!"

Just before Severus terminated the connection, he heard Remus yell at Irma to shut up. He hoped the old meddling coot would be okay. With no time to waste, he turned around but didn't see Hermione anywhere. He stormed through his chambers but didn't see her.

He had failed her. She was gone.

His imagination now on overdrive, he envisioned an image of Remus strangling Hermione just outside his chamber. He ran through his rooms to the entrance and was about to open his front door when her small voice came from behind, "Severus, what's going on?"

Relief flooded his body and he ran toward her. Fighting the urge to embrace her, he stopped short. He sighed and said, "I was just looking for you so that we can leave."

"I was in the loo," she clarified, "but I'm ready now."

Severus reduced the items and quickly placed them into a satchel. He would have to inform Minerva of his whereabouts, but not now. He wanted to get Hermione away from Remus, and he had to do it quickly. He would need to escort her through the school without anyone seeing them. Remus was unpredictable, and in order to protect her Severus had to hide her and ensure that no one saw her. Interestingly, concealing her through the corridors of the school was not as easy as it should be. Concealment Charms might work against the students and probably most of the school staff, but not against Remus. He wasn't the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for nothing. He had a keen sense of his environment, as if all of his senses were amplified.

Regardless, he had to do something. He placed Concealment Charms on himself and Hermione. Careful not to activate the curse, he grasped her carefully atop a clothed arm and led her from the room. They exited his chambers and after placing protective charms on his door, he led Hermione away from the corridor that led to the exit. Instead, he escorted her deeper through the labyrinth of the dungeons.

"Severus, where are we going?" she whispered.

"Shhhh, I'll fill you in later."

As they walked further away from the exit, the halls became darker and more ominous. Regardless, his stride was confident and his aim true; for, although these paths were completely unknown to most, he knew them well. This was his domain and he'd be damned if Remus would find them here. Unbeknownst to the majority of the school's inhabitants, the dungeons were vast, as vast as the school itself and then some. Adjacent to the Chamber of Secrets was another even more secretive room. It was known by only a handful of people, and he didn't believe Remus was one of them.

The room wasn't sealed with protective charms. It didn't have to be because without knowing exactly where it was, it was highly unlikely that anyone would find it. Severus approached the wall, unremarkable as it was, and placed the tip of his wand into a small crevice at its base. The hole was circular and only large enough to accommodate the very tip of a wand. No magic was required. The wand depressed a mechanism inside that activated a pulley-system and the door curled upward, like a tongue curling back into the owner's mouth. His grip on Hermione remained steady and when the opening was large enough, he pulled her into the room with him. Finding a similar hole at the base of the wall, Severus mimicked the same action to activate the door in reverse and it unfurled back into place. Taking no chances, he added several protective charms to ensure secrecy.

Hermione held onto him tightly. With two arms around one of his, she was obviously frightened. "Severus, what's that eerie green glow? It's everywhere!"

In response, Severus lit several wall sconces to illuminate the room and reveal the cause of the strange glow. "Oh my God, Severus, it's beautiful!" she exclaimed. "This is the most beautiful room I have ever seen!" She turned toward him and smiled. It was a brilliant and beautiful smile. It warmed his heart to bring that smile to her face, marred too often in misery.

"The name of the Black Lake is a misnomer. From above it appears black, but from below… well, we Slytherins have admired its green beauty from the dungeons for hundreds of years."

"Oh, Severus!" and she ran into his arms. She surprised him but it was most welcomed. He took pleasure in her embrace but remained careful not to touch her skin to skin. He didn't want to ruin her happiness.

"Beautiful it may be, but the smell leaves something to be desired." He waved his wand through the air and removed the stale smell. Located partially beneath the lake, it was a large triangular room with furniture clustered at one end, next to the overwhelmingly large wall-to-wall window. Severus used a Cleaning Charm to freshen the furniture and area rug. He enlarged the books he brought and placed them on the center table. He turned toward his right expecting Hermione to be next to him. Instead, he found her standing next to the large windowpane, her hand pressed against the glass as she stared upward towards top of the enormous window that kept the lake at bay. Seemingly, in awe at the beauty before her, she beamed with wonder and admiration. Her beauty transcended the green hue that colored every surface.

"Hermione, dear, come, let's get busy."

Hermione joined him on the sofa and reached for the nearest book.

"Okay," she said determinately, "I'm ready to get to the bottom of this!"

Leaning toward her he whispered, "Just realize that you may not like what you discover."

Eyes as wide as saucers, she reached out to him. Touching his hand, she said, "I can do anything with you by my side, Severus."

Amazed, he stared down at their hands, touching skin to skin. Her soft hands caressing his, offering comfort and support. Admiration along with adoration filled him. She was certainly a resilient woman. If she was ready, he was ready.

They could do this… together.

**A/N: Thank YOU for all of your lovely reviews! The excitement is just begining so please let me know what you think about it. Thanks to the fabulous Wartcap for the beta and to Jennifer for listening to me over and over again. ~Ruthie**


	18. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

Hermione read aloud from a book on her lap. She was somber, her grave recitation a clear indication of her growing awareness of the seriousness of the situation.

"_Werewolves mate once in their lifetime and typically share mates with members of the pack. The female mate reclaims her virginity after each sexual intercourse, creating a pleasurable experience for her Alpha and his pack_."

Hermione's voice trembled and she stopped reading. Breathing heavily, the book fell from her hands, her slackened grip reflective of her emotional state.

Heartbroken, he watched her, urging her to find her strength. Wanting to reassure her, he refrained, too afraid to touch her. Earlier she had touched him and, thankfully, she did not recoil. Her touch did not activate the curse. It was baffling, but he wasn't going to take any chances.

"Hermione, please look at me."

She lifted her head and did as he asked, but there was no life in her eyes. They lost their fire and he feared she lost her will to fight.

"It was the silver powder, wasn't it, Severus?" she whispered.

"Yes, it was."

"I'm a slave." She gasped for air as her breathing laboured. After several moments, she asked, "Does Remus have a pack?"

"I don't know. I would have never imagined it before. But now, I wouldn't put it past him. He's created some ruse…"

"I don't want to have sex with a pack!"

"I will not allow that to happen." Confidently, he held her gaze. "I will never stop, never tire of protecting you."

"I believe you," she avowed. Her expression flooded with relief and she fell into him. With a calm and deliberate motion, he pulled her closer, offering reassurance.

"Severus." She looked up, pleadingly. "What's going to happen to me?"

"Many things, my dear," he professed. "First and foremost I will defend you, unconditionally, with my very life. Secondly, I will love you, and certainly smother you." He beamed, radiating the joy of his heart. "And thirdly, if you will have me, I will… marry you."

Like emerald facets, the light fractured. The glow of the lake bathed Hermione in its splendid beauty. She was beautiful. The lights danced across her face, and he was lost to her. It didn't matter how she responded, he was absorbed by her beauty.

Slowly, she closed her eyes and kissed him. Instinctually, he bent his head down to meet her lips only thinking of the potential ramifications a moment later. Shaken, he pulled away, not wanting to activate the curse. Torn between wanting to kiss her and keeping her safe, he maintained his distance, an arm extended resisting her advances.

He was used to denial. He had survived many years denying himself a full life while engaged in war and deceit. But life was supposed to be different now. He was in love and he had a woman who loved him in return. Life should be easy. Refusing her advances was contrary to who he was. Disconcerted, he shook his head, unable to find the words to express his thoughts.

"Severus, I accept your proposal, please look at me," she pleaded. "As soon as I can get a divorce I will marry you. I promise!"

"It's not that, Hermione. I know you love me and I believe that if you had a choice you would marry me. But, you don't."

"What do you mean, I don't?"

"You do not have a choice. You are mated. You recoil when I touch you. I believe touch – skin to skin – activates the curse, keeping you faithful to your mate."

Shocked, she didn't answer. Her attention appeared wrapped in contemplation. Reflection became resentment, the emotions evident on her face, as thoughtfulness transformed into a scowl. "So, even when we marry, we won't be able to have a physical relationship?"

"I do not believe so. It would activate a compulsion to return to your mate."

"Don't call him that!" she screamed, "I refuse to be his mate!"

"I'm sorry." He reached out to comfort her but immediately pulled away, remembering himself. Glaring at him, she wasn't happy, of that he was certain.

"But I've touched both you and… Harry," she added quickly, "skin to skin and it's only happened on occasion. I don't know why that is."

"Just before you touched me. You placed your hand over mine. Did you feel anything?"

"No. Well, yes. But only love for you. I felt no compulsion or anxiety to flee. My mind was clear."

"Back in my chambers, when I kissed you, I activated it, yes?"

"Yes," she whispered ominously as she nodded her head in agreement.

He stood up and began to pace in front of the glass barrier that separated the triangular room from the Black Lake. Deep in thought, he barely noticed Hermione get up with him and waited patiently as he contemplated the information at hand. He looked out, into the vast depths of the lake, and noticed the Grindylow, Hippocampus, Plimpy's and other water creatures scurrying about, as if with no direction. He scrutinized their behavior, but was baffled as to an explanation.

"Is that normal?" she asked, scanning the watery depths with him.

"No, I've never seen such behavior in these creatures. They don't normally…"

"Is it because tonight is a full moon?" she asked, her idea breaking free.

"In the years since I've been in the dungeons, I have never seen these creatures behave in this manner, regardless of the phase of the moon."

She approached the sizable windowpane and stared at the creatures darting about without direction. "I feel like them," she said as she turned to face Severus. "I know what I want but I feel trapped. Like there's an invisible pull taking me in the opposite direction."

Her lips trembled and he was disheartened to see the one he loved in so much pain. Apparently, she needed his comfort as much as he wanted to give it. Slowly and with purpose, she extended her hand to the nape of his neck and pulled him down to her. He made to pull away but was stopped when her firm grip held him in place.

"No," she said with authority. "Do not pull away. I think I understand now. Like the Grindylow, I know what I want… in this case, who I want, but I have more control than they do. I won't let this pull to get the better of me."

"But, how?"

"When I touch you it's not a problem. There's no compulsion, pull or confusion. However, when you touch me, it's different. That's when I get confused and I want to return to… him." She grimaced as she said _him_.

"Yes, I know. That is why I shall never again touch you… ever," he concluded. He felt dejected but couldn't keep the pain from his voice.

"No, Severus, you don't understand!" she squealed happily. "I can touch _you_!"

To emphasize her words she snaked her hands underneath his shirt and up his chest, gently feeling him, skin to skin. Her touch was welcoming. Her soothing hands caressed his flesh and reminding him of her passion. He craved her touch. He _needed_ her touch.

Eyes wide, he stared at Hermione. Although her eyes were closed, her facial expression was one of pure bliss. She appeared to be thoroughly enjoying stroking the planes of his body. Slowly and seductively she caressed him, inciting his own passion for her.

"How are you doing this?" he gasped, in awe and yearning for her.

"I just figured it out, Severus. Every time I have felt the pull someone has touched me. But as you see, when I touch you, when I initiate the contact, it doesn't happen!" She smiled broadly, her keen mind had found a loophole and he was relieved. She was going to be able to maintain her identity. He was the one that was going to have to continue to refrain from touching her.

"What are you doing?" he asked, surprised.

"Don't stop me, Severus. I'm no longer encumbered by my marriage vows. Remus betrayed me, and in the worst way possible. I'll be damned if I let that stop me now. So, please, don't let it stop us." She punctuated her plea with tender kisses along his jaw. "I want to kiss you and make love to you. Don't… stop… me…," she begged and teased him, as she alternated between kisses and words.

In that moment he decided that he did not need to touch her. She was doing that for him… for them. Years had passed since they were lovers, but their bodies remembered. Although much shorter than he, she managed to pull his shirt up over his head without difficulty. Her hands were gentle, yet everywhere. She was yearning for him, hunger and passion fueled her. Pushing him toward the floor, he complied, allowing her the control she wanted and needed. Fighting not to touch her, he placed his hands underneath his head as he watched her love him. She was unfettered, free to be herself and do what she wanted. She was beautiful as she kneeled beside him, touching him, and taking what was always hers.

Straddling him, she leaned over him and kissed him, gently moving her mouth over his. He felt her tender kisses transform as her mouth opened. Slowly, she took his lips into her mouth, and the heat melted him. She nibbled and sucked his lips, one by one, her hot tongue finding his as she showed him how much she loved him and missed him. Her desire was limitless and she ignited his passion. He needed to feel her depths surrounding him. It had been an eternity since he needed her.

As if reading his mind, she ground herself into him, taking relief from her desires and stirring his. Overwhelmed by his need, his muscles trembled with restraint. He wanted to reach out and touch her, give her pleasures of which she had not seen before. But he held back, unable and unwilling to ruin this moment for her.

In a single moment, they were both undressed. Unwilling to wait for passion to build slowly, Hermione appeared to be erupting like a volcano unable to contain its fiery lava. She held him down, his arms at either side of his head. He would not have touched her. Although difficult, he was in control of himself. Looking up at her, she appeared to enjoy her dominance over him and, in one swift moment, she lifted her body and sank down onto his unyielding member. He was absorbed into her wet heat, feeling her moist walls flex around him. He had come home. Gone for too long but finally home, never to leave again.

As Hermione moved above him, he concentrated on her beauty. Pleasure flooded her face and he reveled in her delight. He moved underneath her, pushing deeper. As he pumped into her, he noticed vibrations emanating from the floor beneath his naked body. The vibrations increased in their intensity and shook the room around them. Hermione noticed as well and stopped her movements. Still joined, she searched Severus' eyes, communicating a silent question for which he did not know the answer. They both turned toward the door, afraid that someone had found a way to get through using the hidden mechanism and through Severus' powerful protection charms. But no one was there. At that moment, an even louder thud rocked the room. The thudding was coming from the large and ominous windowpane next to them. The room rocked repeatedly, resisting the force that threatened to destroy it. As if in slow motion, both Hermione and Severus turned toward the lake, the green hue coloring their faces and they saw Remus, protected by the Bubble-Head Charm, as he stared at them angrily.

The protective barrier was sturdy, made of glass and protected by magic in order to keep the lake at bay. Any curse would eventually work and it was only a matter of time before the barrier was broken. Pushing themselves up and off the floor, they scrambled to find their clothing only to be knocked off their feet as the Blasting Curse finally destroyed the barrier and the lake rushed into the room. Water and glass surrounded them, tumbling them about with the force of the invading lake.

Wasting no time, Remus rushed into the room, as if guided by the rushing water. Using the Summoning Charm, Hermione flew into his arms, despite her attempts to swim away. Severus held his breath as the water filled the room and purged all the air away. He needed to get to Hermione, save her from Remus but he couldn't swim to them fast enough and he couldn't find his wand. The room's belongings were now floating, carried by the water as they gently tumbled about the room. As he searched frantically, swimming quickly through a labyrinth of furniture and floating books, he saw Remus grab Hermione and swim away with her. The lake's greenish hue colored everything as Severus attempted to glean in which direction he had taken her. They soon disappeared, whisked away by the currents. The vastness of the Black Lake appeared to swallow them whole.

They were gone… she was gone.

**A/N: We're coming close to the end now! Thank you for your reviews. They are greatly appreciated. ~Ruthie**


	19. Chapter 19

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

Queasy and on the verge of vomiting, Hermione felt heavy. Her body hung limp and unmoving. She was tired, wet and cold. She struggled to open her eyes but her body fought her, seemingly too burdensome to move. Weary, she tried relentlessly to move, willing her body to shift, if only a little. As she resisted her body's desire to remain lifeless, a tangy, sour smell assaulted her senses. Wrinkling her nose to keep the repulsive stench away, she noticed it was oddly familiar.

Anxiety set deep within her gut. The familiar odor was not welcoming. It was vile and nauseating. Her stomach turned as familiarity became awareness. The revolting smell was coming from her husband, Remus. By the intensity of the odor, he was near.

Determined, she forced her eyes open. She felt an unnatural compulsion to close them again, exhausted as she was beyond anything she had ever felt before. Although the light was dim and her vision fuzzy, she noticed the room before her was vast. Low-lined torches lit a path through a large corridor to an even larger chamber in which she found herself. As the light flickered odd shapes came into view. The mysterious images were distorted, the play of light making them appear sinister and ominous while concealing their true identity.

The large space, shrouded in darkness, remained a mystery. However, she noticed that she was in the center of the largest of the two chambers. Even in the dark, her perspective was unusual. Her limp body, heavy and restrained, now made sense. She was bound and magically suspended several feet from the floor, her sodden hair clinging to her strained face. From the powerful stench, she believed that Remus was not only near, but that he was extremely agitated as well. And she shivered, from a combination of cold and fear. Looking down at her suspended form, her own anxiety had taken root and dread claimed her as she realized that in addition to her circumstances, she was naked.

Shivering with worry, she recalled Severus' face as Remus broke the glass barrier and abducted her. He had tried, in vain, to reach her, but the rushing force of the water was too powerful for him. In agony for him and for her plight, she screamed, powerfully. She found her voice and it echoed in the large room, unfettered and full of anguish.

Within the darkness, shadows shifted, menacingly crawling along the walls. Light flickered, the flames reacting to an encroaching darkness. And she swallowed her screams, too afraid of discovery. The darkness took shape and revealed a familiar gait. As he staggered closer, his stench intensified and she felt as if she would suffocate. Unwilling to react and show him her fear, she held her head as high and as proud as her humiliating position would allow.

She refused to show Remus her fear.

Standing before her, he locked her stare and a terrifying competition began to play, one in which she was woefully unqualified. With all the daring of an Alpha-male, he challenged her with his hard eyes, boldly demanding that she oppose him. In control, Remus possessed an arrogance that outdid Severus' best. He haughtily approached her, mirth evident in his stare and she seethed, choosing not to challenge his dominance. Instead, deciding to wait for a moment when she would get the upper hand… hoping that moment would come.

Remus had won and he knew it. Hermione wanted to bash his superior look off his face but she was defenseless, bound, naked and without her wand.

"Wife, thank you for joining me," Remus said as he walked around her suspended form. "When a revolution begins, the best thing is to join together to bring peace to all."

Anxious, she struggled to find her voice. Remus was not making sense. "Remus, what revolution?"

"It begins at sunset and you are my sacrifice to the cause." He snickered, as if she was too stupid to understand. The truth was that she did not understand but she definitely did not like being anyone's sacrifice to anything!

It was difficult to appear calm, but she had to. He was insane, of that she was certain. That was both her professional and her personal opinion on the matter. Professionally, she knew that it was important to remain composed, but, personally, she wanted to grab him by his dangly bits and pull tight. Although, the time for battle was not at hand as she could do nothing to defend herself. Shaking internally but appearing outwardly unruffled, she inquired, "Tell me more about this revolution."

And he roared with laughter. An unnatural cackle that bounced off the large chamber walls adding an all too real sinister quality to his mirth. Shaking the water from his hair, he finally looked up at her, apparently over his amusement, and growled, "Tonight, Mrs. Lupin, you will become part of my pack!"

Shocked, she was rendered speechless. Her mouth was open but she was unable to form any words. Alarmed, her body trembled. With the force of her internal quakes, she was unable to keep her emotions at bay. Spiraling out of control, she was no longer able to separate the professional from the personal. She was wrought with fear and nervousness. Her stomach twisted and fluttered, like tiny butterflies eating away at her insides. No longer in control, her panic exploded from her like a volcano, and she vomited, expelling all her pain and sorrow onto her surprised husband.

Unable to see the humor in what she had done, she bit her lip tightly. Fighting to hold in a sob and not weep for her plight, all she wanted to do was escape from her abductor, the man she once loved.

She was losing herself. Disappointed and saddened by her weakened state, she needed to fight, to reclaim who she was in spite of her hardship. Where was her fighting spirit? She was acting like a pathetic female and it was time that she reclaimed her strength and her freedom.

"Where's your pack?" she asked, wanting to engage Remus in further discussion on the chance he would reveal any information she could use.

"YOU WOULD LOVE TO KNOW!" he screamed as he wiped his face clear of her filth. "You would just love to have a slew of pack-males to fuck! You are a fucking whore, wife!" Disgust colored his voice, as he spit out the last word as if she was filth.

"No, Remus. I just thought that your pack would be here to celebrate as you add a member to their pack. Isn't there a ceremony or something when you have a new member join the pack?" He chose not to respond, seething instead.

"I just thought that they would want to see their leader in action."

Remus snarled at her and stormed away. His anger was evident in his gait, but something was different. She knew him and through his petulance, she saw a dejected child. He paced the chamber. With only the dim lights to guide her vision Remus intermittently came into view. The silence was eerie, hearing only his heavy footsteps along the hard flagstone floor. His solid steps echoed in the space, adding an unnatural quality. She squinted to see him, but the dim flames, low on their torches, allowed him coverage while she hung there vulnerable, naked and exposed.

Focusing on the popping of the flames, she was surprised when out from the quiet Remus emerged and whispered, "There is no one in my pack. You are to be the first."

Although surprised, she tried to speak with an even tone. "Why, Remus? You've Marked me as your mate, why make me a part of your pack at all?"

"Because then no one will desire you once you are like me."

"What do you mean, like you?"

"A werewolf."

**A/N: THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENTHUSIASTIC REVIEWS! Hugs and kisses to Wartcap and Jennifer. Thanks to Valady for the "dangly bits!" EMPRESSTIGER - PLEASE ACTIVATE YOUR PM ON YOUR MEMBER SITE. YOU'VE ASKED ME FOR SOMETHING AND I CAN'T REACH YOU. **


	20. Chapter 20

**CHAPTER TWENTY**

Anger welled in him. His self-recrimination, usually buried deep within his gut, had now taken root and stretched out to the far edges of his spirit. It colored his vision and soured his taste.

Severus blamed himself.

Hermione had chosen him, despite the effects of the Mark pulling her to the contrary and he failed her. He allowed Remus to find them and take her. In retrospect, he should have never kept her in the castle. Certain that he was the only one to know the location of that room, he gambled, and possibly with her very life.

Time was of the essence. After he located his wand, it had taken him only moments to seal the room. By the time Remus swam away with Hermione, the water pressure had equalized, causing the items to innocently float about the room, no longer driven by the force of the fearsome waves that had previously tossed them about dangerously. Severus swam through the debris and located his wand just as the gentle currents carried it away, out into the abyss.

Despite his rage and desperation, the need to breathe forced Severus to conjure the Bubble-Head Charm, allowing him the time to find his needed items. As if by command, he easily found Hermione's wand and most of their clothes. It seemed that fate was on his side. He pointed his wand toward the entrance and sealed the room, protecting the castle from the lake. Grabbing the items, he swam through the room into the lake, and up towards the surface. As his face broke through the waves, he immediately scanned the lake and the surrounding nature for any sign of Hermione or Remus. He did not find any.

He lost them.

Adrenaline, fueled by his reproach, pumped through his veins as he shoved his naked body into his wet clothes and ran. If Remus had Apparated Hermione away, they could be anywhere by now. With only moments in which to make a decision, he rushed towards the castle, determined to find them. He ran through the dungeons, leaving a wet trail in his wake. With unwavering determination, he dashed between stunned students, who parted the way for him.

As he ran, he repeatedly saw the image in his mind of Remus pulling Hermione away from him, tugging her by one arm, swimming them both away. As he watched Remus take her from him, the lake's green hue had cast a sickly shadow over everything. Just moments before, the green light that filtered through the lake had looked beautiful as emerald shimmering facets shone brightly on Hermione's face. But, evil changed a memory that was beautiful and pure and marred it. The image burned in his mind but he would not allow it to hinder him. Instead, the image energized him to get her back and return her to her rightful place, by his side… as his wife.

As he approached Remus' chambers, he screamed "Confringo!" blasting the front door open and without hesitation, he ran through the debris and into the room. Instead of seeing Remus or Hermione, he found Harry, knocked unconscious on the floor of the lounge. Ignoring him, Severus ran through Remus' rooms on the chance that they were hiding but they were not there and from the dry condition of the floor, it appeared that they had not been there either. He contemplated leaving Harry on the floor but decided that it was important to know what Harry knew. Nudging him repeatedly with his wet boot, Harry stirred and recoiled from Severus' persistent kick.

Severus would have been amused had he had time for such conventionalities. Harry jumped up, his Auror training kicking in, yet while his stance was defensive, his head wobbled, dizzy and unable to focus on his opponent. Where was a camera when you needed it?

"What are you doing here, Potter?" Severus demanded, his voice fierce, leaving no room for reproach.

Harry's bewildered look began to fade and his focus returned. "I'm… um, I came here to find Hermione."

"Why were you on the floor? Answer me now, Potter!" he roared, demanding an immediate answer. Severus did not want to waste any more time than was necessary. He had to find her before Remus did anything to harm her. Severus vowed that he would kill him if he hurt Hermione. He never held any love or even respect for Remus and although he had always desired to kill him from time to time, those feelings were nothing compared to the seriousness in which his anger fueled his current threat. Severus desired nothing but death for the beast, preferably death by his own hands. If Hermione was harmed, Severus would kill him, happily spending the rest of his life in Azkaban.

"Remus," Harry began, "he's a grand nutter. He kept talking about us being best mates but he wouldn't answer when I kept asking him about Hermione. Then he cast the Cruciatus Curse on me while he was yelled and accusing me of stealing Hermione from him."

"Potter, I will cast the Cruciatus Curse you myself if you don't give me some significant information! Did he say or do anything that would give you an indication of what he was planning or where he was going?"

Harry scrubbed his face roughly with his hands and when he stopped, he stared at Severus as if in thought. "Yes, he said that it didn't matter if I had her." Harry looked soberly at Severus, "but of course I didn't," he hastened to add. "Remus said that after tonight I would no longer desire her. He was going to ensure it."

"Any idea where he went?" Severus asked, panic gripping his gut at Remus' ominous promise.

"None," Harry clarified. "He didn't mention anything different."

Severus turned away, stymied. He had wasted precious time standing here talking with Harry and he was not any closer to finding out the location of where Remus had possibly taken Hermione. Pacing the room, Severus ignored Harry's questions, and mumbled to himself. "Tonight is the full moon, he will transform but he won't be a danger if he drank his…."

Severus ran to the hearth and activated Remus' Floo network. He yelled for his House-Elf, Slinky. When she appeared, he started her as he roared, "Did you deliver the Wolfsbane potion I made for Professor Lupin?"

Nervously, she twitched her ears and pulled her brows together. "Slinky tried, Sir. But the Professor's not wanting any. He throws it all over me whens I came to give it. I's doing as you say, but he's not wanting, Sir."

"What is it?" Harry asked, as fear colored his voice.

Severus turned away from the frightened House-Elf, his own eyes wide with panic. "Tonight is the full moon and Remus hasn't taken his Wolfsbane."

Shock evident in his deep voice, Severus continued. "He's with Hermione and will do something to her and she will no longer be desirable…"

"What will he do?"

With concerned eyes, he stared at Harry, "He's going to bite her. Turn her into a werewolf."

"We've got to stop him!" Harry snapped.

"Yes, of course, but where?" Severus asked. Although he was not expecting an answer, he continued as if mumbling to himself, "Where would Remus take Hermione on the night of the full moon?" Severus paced the small room as Harry followed. "Where would Remus go to transform?"

Understanding took hold and Severus turned toward Harry, comprehension written all over their faces, and they both screamed, "The Chamber of Secrets!"

"How will we get in there? It's been sealed for years!" Harry gasped.

"The same way I have arranged for Remus to get in and out of there safely every month."

"And how's that?"

"Slinky!" Severus called for his House-Elf instead of responding to Harry's question. Slinky arrived quickly and shuffled her feet in apprehension. "Have you taken Mr. and Mrs. Lupin to the Chamber of Secrets this evening?"

"I's did. You asks me to do as you says and I's a good Elf, Sir."

"Yes, you are. Now, I need you to take us there as well."

Slinky stood between Severus and Harry and prepared to Apparate them away to the Chamber of Secrets.

To Be Continued...

A/N: THANK YOU for your reviews.


	21. Chapter 21

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

"Don't worry, my love. I will bite you gently but I will take you roughly. I'm sorry, but it's the only way Mooney likes to fuck," Remus growled as close to Hermione's ear as he could reach. Aghast at his horrid odor, she contorted her suspended form as she attempted to turn away from his rancid breath, desperately trying to breathe in fresher air.

Remus' disgusting words alarmed her. She was not so much scared of the pain of Remus' bite as she was of him taking her, forcefully, and in his werewolf form. She did not want to have sex with Remus, let alone Remus as a beast. Her dream from not so long ago came back to her, understanding finally washing over her. She had been lost in the forest surrounded by werewolves. The Alpha and his pack had closed in on her but it was the leader, the Alpha, who took her and brutally raped her, until she screamed and awoke from her terrible nightmare. Although frightening, that had been a dream. This was real. With a mad gleam in his eyes, Remus promised to take her. She believed that he would, without hesitation or remorse.

He was not the same man she married. Not even the same docile neglectful husband she had come to despise. She would give anything to have her life return to its once boring state. It seemed like so long ago, but, in reality, it was just over a week ago that she had turned thirty and her life had changed forever. Little did she realize that her life had changed long before that, when Remus marked her as his mate. She had not known he was insane and manipulating her.

Although bound, she wanted to grasp the necklace around her neck, hold fast, physically and metaphorically, to the charm that Severus had given her for her birthday. The lotus flower symbolized hope and rebirth. She pleaded to God to renew her, give her a fighting chance to alter her reality and live peacefully with Severus, the man she loved. She wanted that rebirth, that opportunity to rediscover herself, and to love a man because she wanted to, not because she was enslaved to do so.

"No one else will ever have you. It doesn't matter what you're thinking, my wife, or who you desire. No one will desire you once you become a beast like me, not even your precious Snape will want you," he said dispassionately. Uncertain as to why he would say such aggressive words unemotionally, she put her professional mind to work. He must be conflicted, wanting her for himself but too insecure to believe that she could love him for him.

She had loved him once, but now she was scared. Not only scared of him, but also of herself. She would continue to love him, against her will, because of the pull of the Mark. It would be a fabricated love, but the magic would make it seem real enough for her. She will love him unconditionally, completely, and with a passion deserved by only those with true love. Like the love she possessed for Severus. Thankfully, he had not attempted to control her again, to press the Mark. Bound as she was, if he came close, she could not stop him. It frightened her.

A loud pop startled her. Squinting, she turned towards the sound but could see nothing but shadows in the darkness. Remus growled threateningly and ran, wand extended, towards the intruder. Through the dim lights, she saw the form of a man, and, relieved, she screamed, "Help, Severus, help!"

He ran towards her and she struggled to break free from her magical binds. He yelled for her, "Hermione!" but it wasn't Severus.

Although, she recognized his voice and she screamed, "Harry! Help me!"

As Harry ran towards Hermione, Remus ran towards him, and he was angry. Fierce determination and fury sketched along the hard lines of his face. Focused on rescuing Hermione, Harry didn't notice Remus' fast approach. They both turned toward the oncoming fury too late as Remus rammed into him, knocking him over. Harry fell hard. His head hit the stone floor with an unnatural crack and he was knocked out. His lifeless body jerked as Remus kicked him repeatedly.

Desperate, Hermione cried out, in despair and powerless to do anything for her friend. Remus was manic, a depraved man possessed as he beat Harry with his boot.

"Stop it! Stop it!" But Remus wasn't hearing her.

As she looked on desperately, a form emerged from the darkness like an angel riding on a cloud. He glided through the chamber and surreptitiously walked up behind Remus as he continued to assault Harry. Her angel tapped him on the shoulder. Surprised, Remus twisted his head around and the dark man's fist met his face with the victorious sound of bone cracking under the force of the blow.

Remus fell back. The inertia of the powerful attack sent him on his backside, his shock still palpable as he sat staring up at his attacker, astonished.

"I may not like the boy, Lupin, but I like you even less," Severus asserted, a wealth of satisfaction in his voice, as he clearly enjoyed Remus' prostrated form.

Relief claimed Hermione's spirit. Her body was cold and weary, but her heart was energized, liberated with satisfaction and adoration for her savior.

Happily, Severus turned his attention to her, stepping around Remus. He raised his wand and freed her from her binds. Falling into his waiting arms, she was exhausted. Her strained muscles found relief in their new position around him.

"You must be cold," he whispered, sadness colored his voice as he covered her naked body with his cloak, gently laying it over her shoulders.

She nuzzled her face into his chest, desperately trying to steal his warmth as he wrapped his strong arms around her shivering body. A crushing force gripped her ankle, and, in a single moment, as she fell from Severus' warm embrace, she was reminded of the real danger they were still in. Remus had grabbed her and pulled her down roughly. Remus launched himself up, as if springing from the ground, and pounced on Severus, knocking him back with an inhuman force down the length of the antechamber. The low lined torches barely illuminating his form as he slid away from view.

A roar vibrated through the chamber and echoed off its mossy, stone walls. Filled with a passionate fury, Remus' cry released a powerful magical wave that surged through the chamber. And, like adding fuel to a flame, the torches flared, in reaction to his magical upsurge, increasing their brightness and bringing clarity from the darkness. Gasping from recognition, Hermione understood. Remus brought her to the Chamber of Secrets, a place where he would retreat in order to protect her from his shame. But now, in his madness, he was seeking to bring that same shame upon her.

She felt cold, her heart empty.

Her world was in slow motion. Remus strutted toward the end of the antechamber toward Severus, as he lay unconscious where the force of the impact dropped him. Shaking, she slowly scanned the room, trying desperately to find a means of escape. However, she held little hope. The only way in or out of the Chamber of Secrets was with the aid of House-Elves. Harry was lying on the ground mere feet from her and she crawled towards him, finding his wand loosely held in his hand. Grabbing it, she slipped it into her borrowed robe and into an interior sheath.

It was then that Remus growled at Severus, "You will never have her again! I told you I would win!"

Remus sprinted back to Hermione and pulled her by her arm, dragging her toward Severus. He opened her robe, intentionally exposing her naked body as he focused his attention on her Mark and he pressed it, hard. She attempted to pull away once she realized his intent but he was much too strong for her and he held her firmly in place. Touching her tattoo, he was like a puppeteer pulling on his puppet's strings. She was at his mercy, unable to control her body or her mind.

The unwelcomed yet familiar murkiness traveled through her being, clouding her mind with deception. As if in her own world, she heard Remus' voice. Her husband held her and loved her. Opening her eyes, she saw him fervently screaming at Severus and she wondered what Severus had done to him. Annoyance filled her, offended on behalf of her husband who always was at Severus' mercy.

"You have harmed Hermione to get back at me?" she heard Severus ask Remus. Confused, she tried to focus.

"She is mine and I will do with her as I please! You will never have her once she is transformed!" Remus was angry and yelling into Severus' face. Severus was bound and Hermione did not understand what was happening. "Will you rut with her, Severus?"

"Please, Remus, let her go. I promise to never touch her again. Just please release her," Severus pleaded.

"Never!"

"Now that she is Marked she will happily be yours, but please don't force her to have sex with your pack."

"I am the Alpha Wolf, not you!" Remus howled as he walked around Severus, taunting him with his authority. "I know what you are trying to do. You want me to bite you so that you, my new pack member, can have sex with my mate!"

"You may have Marked her, but she will never be yours," Severus said triumphantly. "She will never give herself to you again, not freely. She knows of what you have done to her and she will fight you with every fiber of her being. You will never have her heart. That belongs to me!"

While Remus argued, he loosened his grip on her, his hand no longer pressed into her tattoo. The fog in her mind was lifting. Maintaining her eyes downcast, she heard their argument, allowing their words to bring clarity. Remus wanted to control her. Severus wanted her free. Severus loved her and she loved him.

Yes, she loved Severus!

Reaching into her cloak, she slowly extracted Harry's wand and pointed it at her husband. "Remus," she said, shaking, her body quaking from anxiety and determination. "I will not be your slave!"

Startled, Remus turned around to find a wand pointed at his face. Quickly, he reached up and she reacted, pulling away from him, out of his reach. Grimacing, she positioned herself into the dueling stance as she realized that he had attempted to touch her tattoo again, to control her.

Outrage welled in her, building strength and erupting from her like a volcano and she roared, "No! I would rather die before I let you control me again!"

"Must it come to that, my love?" he asked simply and without interest.

His words echoed in her ear, they haunted her. Distracted, she swayed and lowered her arm, shocked by his lack of concern. He did not love her and probably never had. Maintaining control over her was his only concern. And, as if seeing him for the first time, Hermione now understood. Their years together, the love, laughter, tears and complacency was all part of his larger plan. To fool her into believing his love was genuine and then slowly manipulate her. Everything they were was based on lies and deceit.

Hermione would not allow Remus to control her again. However, she would not be the one to die. She refused to be his victim any longer. Squaring her back, anger turning to resolve, she lifted her chin. Determination hardened her delicate features.

"No more, Remus. Today you will die," she seethed, as she lifted her wand arm prepared to strike.

The incantation formed in her mind, hatred filling her, feeding her the power to bring death and when she was about to create the Killing Curse, she became distracted. Someone was yelling. As if in the distance, the screams seemed far away and yet they were not. Hermione was so caught up in her hate that the screams were not clearly discernable. Slowly, they penetrated through her hatred. It was Severus, shouting something at her. She had to refocus and calm herself to listen.

"…they will send you to Azkaban if you do this! Please do not kill Remus. The despot deserves it, but think of me! Think of us!"

Her wand remained trained on her intended victim while she turned her gaze towards Severus, puzzled. "I am doing this for us, Severus."

"No, stop!" he bawled. "Do not let your hatred eat away at you. Dark Magic is powerful but you must cast it aside. He's not worth going to Azkaban for!"

Dark Magic? Confused, she could not understand why Severus would say that. She would never use Dark Magic. However, he was ardent in his pleas as he beseeched her earnestly, desperate for her to listen to him. Severus' compassion and love for her chipped away at her hardened heart. Slowly, awareness took shape as she struggled to find herself amongst the maelstrom of hate and despair that absorbed her soul. It was like a vice, gripping her, like a conscious being refusing to let go.

Remus cowered on the floor, prostrating himself, finally humbled when faced with her borrowed wand. He was shaking with apparent terror at her promise to kill him. Turning his face toward her, he locked her stare. The arrogance she had anticipated was absent from his gaze. Instead, his eyes were brimming with tears. A deep sadness shaped them as he begged her to pity him.

"Hermione, my love, please don't hurt me. I love you, I really do. I just don't know what came over me. It's the wolf, my love, he won't let me go. I'm a prisoner to him. He tells me what to do and if I don't he hurts me!"

Staring at his sorrow-filled eyes, she did feel pity for him. He spoke of the wolf as if it were a separate being. And maybe it was. It spoke to him and commanded things of him. However, it all sounded clinical instead of magical, as if he was suffering from a psychotic disorder. Her trained mind was aware of all psychiatric maladies, the symptoms of which were often misinterpreted for magic. Regardless, whether clinical or magical, he was a victim too. They both were.

"Hermione, please, I love you! Don't let Mooney get to me!" Confused, she lowered her wand. She was protecting herself against the wolf and here he was asking for her to protect him, too. The situation was baffling.

A small facial tick changed the course of the battle. For a brief moment, Remus looked arrogant and although he quickly righted his face, the deed was done. In that moment, the torches reflected in his eyes, amber shining brightly, a manifestation of his evil intentions. His overconfidence gave him away and it was as if she woke up for the first time, tired of her vacillation and her continued victimization of the Mark.

Raising her wand, she was about to cast a Full Body-Bind Curse when Remus doubled over in apparent pain. For a moment, she did not understand what was happening, but it appeared that Severus did. For in that moment, Severus placed his arms together in front of his chest and using wandless magic, created an explosion that released him from his magical binds. He ran past Remus, as Remus' features began to transform him into the wolf, and he grabbed Hermione, pulling her away from the impending danger.

Severus pulled her off of her feet and ran with her toward the larger chamber, where Harry lay. She faced backwards in Severus' arms, staring at Remus, as Severus ran with her toward the other end of the chamber. Remus stared back. He was part man and part beast, but, in that moment, he was still Remus. Although in pain from his transformation, Remus' mind appeared to still be human as he communicated with her. Tears spilled down his changing face as his still human mouth formed the words, _I'm sorry_.

Severus held her back as her compulsion was driving her to return to her mate. With her trapped in his arms, Severus found his wand and revived Harry.

A thunderous howl filled the chamber, bouncing off the stone walls and piercing the darkness. Refocused as he was, Remus' magic could no longer maintain high flames on the torches and they once again were low, barely illuminating the inhabitants. Now fully transformed, Remus ran down the long antechamber, and charged straight to Hermione. The beast was determined to create her in his own image. Remus had promised he would bite her and it appeared that the time had come.

"Do whatever you need to do, Harry, to keep her safe and away from him! Do you understand me?" Severus roared into Harry's face.

"Yes!" Harry replied and although still woozy, he knew a command when he heard one. He changed places with Severus, maintaining a tight hold on her. She was frightened and did not want to become a werewolf. All wands had been found, and were now with their proper owners. And while she had her wand and was able to defend herself, Harry would not let her go. They apparently did not trust her to keep herself away as she was unable to control the Mark. She did not trust herself, either.

Frightened beyond all imagination, she watched as Severus charged Remus, who had been rushing directly toward her. Severus rammed Remus and they tumbled down the antechamber, tussling as each struggled to be the victor. The fight was not fair with a man against a beast, but Severus was holding his own. He punched the wolf repeatedly. Remus howled in apparent frustration as he snarled and gnashed his teeth attempting to bite him. In that singular moment, Hermione realized the danger Severus placed himself in by physically battling a werewolf. She brought up her wand, tried to get a good aim, but as they brawled it was difficult. Harry tugged on her, pulling her away from the battle. Frustrated, she wanted to bash Harry'shis head in for keeping her from helping Severus.

In the struggle, the beast was overcoming the man. Severus fought valiantly, but the beast was powerful and in a brief moment of weakness, Remus bit Severus on the shoulder. He held him in his grip as his teeth sunk into his skin, bringing forth blood and releasing his venom into his first victim.

Severus was bitten by a werewolf.

**A/N: HOLY COW! ~Ruthie**


	22. Chapter 22

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**

Hermione struggled to comprehend what she was seeing. While in werewolf form Remus had bitten Severus, and now he would become equally cursed. Shock gripped her, too shocked to speak or react. Anguish wrapped itself around her heart: grief and sorrow, comfortable allies taking root. The man she loved slumped onto the floor. Remus released him and focused on his intended victim. Time did not allow for her suffering, she had to act in self-preservation. Remus scanned the space, searching for her, his canine eyes were unequalled at spotting prey in the darkness.

She was tired. Weary of running and of having her life ruled by the musings of a lunatic. Not only was he ruining her life, but, now, he had permanently condemned the man she loved to a fate worse than death. Remus looked at her, and, upon seeing Severus' blood on Remus' muzzle, she felt resolute. She had had enough.

No more.

She was determined to end this madness once and for all. Pulling herself away from Harry, she raised her wand and cast the Cruciatus Curse directly into Remus as he charged. Hatred filled her, looking on as Remus howled and whimpered in apparent agony. She knew what this felt like, having been on the other end of similar hatred.

"Stop!" Severus commanded of her. "Harry, bind him!"

Severus staggered as he tried to reach her. Hermione dropped her wand. It clattered onto the stone floor, abandoned and no longer needed for her hateful task. She ran to meet Severus, and dropped with him onto the flagstone. Whimpering, Hermione could not hold in her immense grief. Vacillating between hatred for her husband and love for Severus, she felt confused and weary. She held him tight, worried for him, his injury, and his future. Severus held her in return, wrapping his arms around her, comforting her and, despite his wound, he was the one reassuring _her_.

Her grief transformed. Like the sun giving way to the moon, her anger at her husband returned with fierce determination. Shifting onto her knees, she summoned her wand from across the chamber. It landed into her extended hand. In one motion she pointed the wand at Remus and cast the Cruciatus Curse again, although now he lay bound and unmoving, thanks to Harry's spellwork.

Although injured, Severus pushed himself up onto his knees, and reached out and shoved her arm away from its aim. "Hermione, please, no more," he moaned, his weakened state unable to allow a scream. The angle of her aim altered, and her wand fired into the cavern roof.

"No, Severus, no more! I don't want to be his slave! Even if he goes to prison, I will still be his mate and I refuse! Remus must die!" Hermione yelled ardently, unwilling to be a prisoner to Remus' madness.

"No! You will end up in Azkaban instead of him, if he dies at your hand using an Unforgivable! You must not do this!" He punctuated the last sentence with the last vestiges of his energies.

"I must!" she screamed, unwilling to be a slave to her husband.

"Hermione, the truth is that I will become a werewolf. As much as I don't like it, I am now part of Remus' pack. You and I can still be together."

Surprised, she stared at him, finally understanding his line of thought. He was right, of course. As part of Remus' pack, he would be able to make love with her. However, she would still retain her compulsion to return to her mate, Remus. He would always be her mate until one of them died. If Remus died, Severus would move up in the hierarchy and become the Alpha. In a pack of two, this did not appear difficult to do. But Severus would not allow her to kill Remus. As much as he deserved to die for his lies, deceit, and pure malicious intentions, Severus was right. What kind of life would they be able to share if she were in Azkaban?

However, what kind of life would they really live anyway? She could live with a werewolf again. That was not an issue for her, although it saddened her greatly that Severus would have to live that kind of life. What she would not do is live with a man she truly loved while hurting him, day in and day out, as she experienced the compulsion to return to her mate. It would hurt them both in the end.

"Severus, I can't do this. I will not kill Remus, only because you wish me not to. However, I refuse to live a life tied to a man that I do not love and, moreover, to a man that I have come to hate with every fiber of my being." Firmly, she grabbed his face and turned him to look at her, to let the seriousness of her words settle in. "You must get rid of my tattoo… now."

"It is not possible. We have not found a way to do that. We must continue researching and I'm certain we'll find…"

"No, Severus. Get rid of it, now!" she cried out, unable and unwilling to contain her passion. She handed him her wand, pleading him to help her. She did not know how to get rid of the Mark, none of them did, but she didn't care if he carved it out or if he cut her torso in half. She would not be a slave anymore.

Severus grabbed her proffered wand, shifted closer and moved her robe aside to expose her tattoo. She looked into his tired face and saw immense concentration. She didn't trust many people in this world, but she trusted Severus' guesses over other people's facts. He was just that kind of man.

An immense fire raged through her body as Severus pressed the wand onto her tattoo. His lips were moving fast as he chanted an incantation low under his breath. She screamed and from across the room, Remus howled. Their combined pain was excruciatingly loud as it echoed in the cavernous space, bouncing off the cold stones. Their combined screams reverberated and traveled under her skin. It rivaled the burning fury traveling through her body. Through the pain, she briefly wondered what pain Remus was feeling. The tattoo served as the nucleus of her pain, white hot, like a supernova, exploding and consuming all the stars around it. She was being swallowed whole, succumbing to its hungry advance. Looking at Severus, she had the presence of mind to focus on him, to try to keep her mind away from the heat eating away at her body, driving her insane with torture. But looking at him did not allow her to maintain distance from her situation. He was openly tearing, fear was etched in every line of his face, casting shadows and marring his beautiful face.

Just before unconsciousness claimed her, the heat retreated as Severus pulled back, leaning back onto his haunches, removing the wand from her skin. Her screams stopped, as did Remus' howling. Instead, he whimpered. She felt like whimpering too.

"It's gone," he whispered, choking on his words. "The tattoo is gone but I don't know if it worked."

And she laughed, releasing her anxiety, shedding it and allowing it to flow away like a current drifting away from the shore into the open sea. Her tears streamed down her face. It had to work.

It just had to.

"Guys, something is going on over here!" they heard Harry yell.

In unison, they turned toward him to see Harry pointing to the cavern roof. The hole that Hermione created with her wayward curse began to crack. The wet and mossy cavern roof groaned under the pressure. The atmosphere shifted, as pressure was released expelling air. Opening like the jaws of a hideous monster, the roof released dozens of hungry Runespoor snakes. Six or seven feet in length each, they slithered through the opening and fell heavily onto the cavern floor. Their hissing filled the cavern. Each creature possessed three screaming and hungry mouths. Their orange and black bandings colored the chamber floor as they slithered about in search of food.

Shaken, she looked toward Severus, wanting to ensure he was away from their new threat. He was too hurt to move of his own accord, still bleeding and depleted of most of his energy.

"Let's get out of here!" Harry screamed.

"How?" Hermione asked, holding onto Severus as he dropped back onto the cold and wet floor.

The snakes were snapping at each other, but they would soon realize that the four people in the chamber made for a perfect snack.

Harry levitated Remus' rigid werewolf body toward the antechamber, away from the snakes, and moved toward Severus and Hermione. He added a magical barrier to temporarily hold the snakes at bay. Unfortunately, the cavern roof continued to crack under the pressure, inching its way toward them, and they feared that more snakes would find a way through, inside their barrier.

"We need to get out of here! Harry, do something!" Hermione shouted, trying to be heard above the hissing.

Severus tugged the bottom of her robe and she bent down to listen. Barely able to speak, Severus whispered, "Slinky."

She and Harry looked toward each other and they shouted, "Slinky!"

The dutiful Elf complied with the summons with a welcoming pop. Relief flooded Hermione and she said to the demure Elf, "Here, take Severus to the Infirmary."

"Wait!" Harry yelled. "Can't you take us all?"

"No, sir. I's can only travel myself with one other person. That's how I's traveled here before with you. I's traveled you first, then I's returned with Mister Snape."

"Slinky," Hermione said sternly, "take Severus, now!"

Slinky grabbed onto Severus and with a loud pop, they went away.

"Great, now what about us?" Harry said dejectedly.

"We can protect ourselves, Harry. We have our wands and even if we have to create a bonfire, we'll slice up the snakes and we'll have enough food to sustain us for weeks," she said smiling.

"Happier?" he asked.

"Much. Severus is going to be okay."

"I'm sorry about what happened to him, but you're right. He will be fine. But, what about you?" he asked as he maintained his wand trained at the encroaching snakes.

"I feel… positively free from him," she said as she looked down at Remus, still rigid from the Full Body Bind.

"Is it true? Was Severus able to get rid of the Mark?" he asked, concerned.

"I'm not certain but I do feel like myself again."

"Hermione," Harry said as he held her intimately by her waist, forgetting the snakes for the moment. "I am so very happy for you. You are…"

In surprise, Harry stopped speaking as Hermione squirmed her way out of his grasp, unable to maintain the intimate nature of his touch. Securing her borrowed cloak about her tightly to ensure her naked body was completely covered, Hermione no longer felt secure in his romantic embrace. He was her friend and always would be, but life was different now. Her body, mind and soul belonged to only one man.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" Harry asked, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"I am so sorry, Harry. But Severus is my wizard and I am committed to him. My body belongs to him now," Hermione said assertively, yet with timidity, her voice quivering with hesitation as she did not want to offend her friend.

"Yes, of course. I just… I'm so happy that you are free from Remus and believe me, I am happy that you have Severus. I love you very much and I desire you just as much. But above all, I respect you. I will not pursue you in that manner any longer. Hermione, all I want is your happiness, and you have that now."

Her friend was genuinely happy for her and she loved him all the more for it. "Thank you, Harry," she said as she fell into his friendly embrace, hugging him as fiercely as her weary body would allow. The pain in her shoulder smarted as the burn created by Severus' magic was pressed firmly into Harry's chest. Hissing came from behind them and she turned, and saw at least a dozen more Runespoor snakes had slithered through the roof and were now advancing and testing the magical barrier. They had to get out of there soon.

A deafening pop echoed in the cavern as Slinky returned with a small legion of her diminutive friends. They popped into various parts of the chamber. And while they were all frightened at the sight of the many large snakes, those that Apparated outside the magical barrier, into the unprotected areas, were especially terrified. Quickly, they popped out of the danger areas and into the small space that remained magically protected.

Crowded with scared Elves, Hermione felt elated. "Slinky," she said, "please take us to the Infirmary with Severus."

With another deafening pop, the Elves simultaneously Apparated them out of the Chamber of Secrets, leaving the Runespoor snakes to feed on themselves and the occasional wayward rat.

Hermione had had enough of that place and she hoped never to see it again. If Severus were indeed transformed into a werewolf as a result of Remus' bite, she would ensure that they found another safe place for him to transform. Some place where she could be with him and keep _him_ safe. The world had nothing to fear of him. But he had much to fear of the world now, of the shame and reproach he might face at the hands of the ignorant. The only people who had to fear him were his students, and that had nothing to do with him being a werewolf. No, she would never part from him… not even during the full moon.

A/N: ONE more chapter to go! Much thanks to Helen & Jennifer.


	23. Chapter 23 COMPLETE!

**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE**

"That damnable man twinkled at me!" Severus barked as he slammed the door and stomped over to where Hermione sat, comfortably on a lounger in their chamber.

"Oh, Severus, you always had a flair for the dramatic," she droned as she continued to write into a large journal. "What is it this time?" she asked, unconcerned, fully aware of which man he was referring. There seemed to be only one man who twinkled.

"You know I don't like it when you call me a Drama Queen."

At his unexpected response, she looked up and asked haughtily, "Did I call you that?" He replied with a simple sneer that let her know, in no uncertain terms, that he emphatically thought that she had. "I did not! I said that you have a flair for…"

"A flair! There you go again! I'm no Drama Queen!"

"Of course not, Severus," she agreed blandly, preferring to agree than to continue this foolish banter.

"Regardless," he dismissed, "any drama that I might be engaging in is completely justified considering the twinkling is coming from a dead man! I promise you, the next time the man gets a twinkle in his eye I'm going to throw turpentine onto his painting and watch his twinkle fade, his smirk melting into a frown and flowing into his gilded frame."

Hermione's eyes widened in mirth, she held her mid-section and guffawed, her book falling onto the worn rug from the quaking of her body. After her hysterics subsided, she bent over, reaching for her journal and quill as quickly as she could, desperate to capture the moment. "Oh, Severus, that was brilliant! Say it again. I want to write it down just as you said it."

"Say it again?" he asked with apparent astonishment and a not so hidden hint of irritation in his voice. "What are you writing anyway? You've been writing in that book for months."

Hermione looked at him, her lips curling up at the edges, as she was eager to see his reaction. "It's our love story, Severus."

"Our love story?" he repeated incredulously. "What's so fascinating about us?"

It was her turn to look shocked. "You're kidding me, right?"

Without giving him time to respond, she continued, "Severus, firstly, we survived _us_. All of our lies and games while I was giving you therapy sessions for a sexual condition that you had but that you claimed you didn't have in order to retain the last vestiges of your perceived manliness. That, in and of itself, was a significant hurdle we overcame. Secondly, we survived Remus, in werewolf form no less. And not once, but twice!"

"I barely survived his bite," Severus responded soberly, effectively ending their banter.

"There you go with your dramatics again, Severus," she said as she exhaled noisily. "Need I remind you that you are the only wizard in recorded time to have ever survived such a considerable werewolf bite without contracting Lycanthropy? It's been three cycles of the moon and you haven't even grown a whisker. If it was going to happen, it would've happened…"

"Yes, I know. It would have happened with the very first pull of the full moon. And I didn't feel any different that night."

"Except for the nervous anticipation,' she interjected quickly.

"Of course, except for that," he agreed.

"You were a nervous wreck that first full moon. We both were. It was a daunting night for both of us. I was so frightened for you, to experience that horrible pain…"

"I was also concerned, but not so much for myself as I was for you."

"For me?" she asked taken aback by his revelation. In the months since the bite, he had never discussed his feelings and she was relieved it was finally coming out. He had taken his probable Lycanthropy with a bravery she had never seen before, although she admired it. He had been focused and determined, only allowing his vulnerability to break free the first night of the full moon, when his anxiety became as brittle as crackers, unable to contain it any longer. This discussion was good for them, bringing them both long overdue closer to a most disturbing experience.

"Yes," he responded. "I didn't want you to live with a werewolf again. I was afraid that Remus' mental illness was a result of his many years under the stress and strain of his werewolf condition. I feared that I too, would also be consumed by such madness in time.

"In these past several months," Severus continued, refocusing the conversation away from him. "Remus had explained his dual personality to the authorities with a clarity that the profession hadn't heard in years. Although you and I have not talked about it, I wonder if you have kept up with the news? Have you not you been curious?"

"Honestly, I have not kept up with the news or the research. I heard that people were fascinated by his tale… a war hero's decent into madness and all that rot. After all, it is a difficult story to avoid considering the numerous headlines in the _Daily Prophet_. This is exactly their kind of sensationalistic story. It has been difficult to ignore. But all the attention makes me suspicious that Remus will some day write some fanciful book and make galleons off of his crimes. I have purposefully tried to avoid the stories in the hopes that it would all just go away. Every time I see a headline, it brings all of my bad memories flooding back, like tumultuous waves intent on drowning me. But that, of course, is another painful memory," she said wistfully. "There's a very real Post Traumatic Stress Disorder component to what I'm experiencing."

"I know," Severus agreed looking glum. "I'm sorry for bringing the subject up."

"You didn't bring it up, Severus, I did," she added quickly, not wanting him to feel guilty for her sadness. After all, he was her savior. "It is okay. I _want_ to talk about it now. I have been writing our love story and in doing so, I have not been able to avoid thinking about Remus and what he did to us. It really has brought this to the forefront of my mind and I need to talk about it, too. I was so scared for you, Severus."

"That first full moon?" he asked and she nodded in the affirmative.

"Yes, and you were afraid that you would eventually go just as mad as Remus. You may not have said it, Severus, but I know _you_ and the anxiety was written all over your face." She had been certain, for she had felt just as anxious.

"Yes," he agreed. "I was afraid. Nevertheless, since that day, after we both realized that I had not contracted Lycanthropy, I have been working on something… an experiment of sorts. It was then that I realized that my body produces anti-bodies against the werewolf strain. Since then I have been trying to find…" he stopped speaking abruptly, as if he had given away too much of some deep dark secret. He rubbed his face vigorously with his hands as he walked away, unwilling to elaborate any further.

"What Severus, what?" she asked excitedly, running after him. "Don't shut me out any longer. Please tell me!"

"I cannot," he argued as he turned toward her with a scowl. "You will not approve."

"I _need_ to know what you've been doing for the last several months. You have been preoccupied, irritable, and very secretive. I've not bothered you too much about it because I knew you were under an immense amount of strain as a result of the bite. However, I did not press you because I thought you didn't trust me enough to confide in me, the pain you were going through. That maybe…"

"Not trust you?" he pressed, apparently unable to fathom such notions. "You are the _only_ person in this world that I do trust! Hermione, I love you with my entire being, with my very magical essence. I could not do what I was doing if I knew that despite it all, I had your unconditional trust and love, as you have mine. The reason I did not tell you, Hermione, was because I did not want to see you hurt by my work."

She walked up to him and held him tight, ensuring that he could not turn and walk away in an attempt to avoid her questioning. Although he allowed her to hold him in her grasp, his gaze remained fast at his feet. "Have you been working on a cure for werewolves using your body's natural defenses against the werewolf strain?"

He looked up quickly, shocked at her straightforward guess. From his stunned expression, she guessed that she was not only close to the truth, but that she had hit the proverbial bull's eye.

"Yes," he replied sheepishly and met her stare, apparently now willing to face her potential onslaught. "That is exactly what I've been working on these several months. I… I did not want you to know. I was afraid that you would not accept my work on Remus' behalf."

Holding back her excitement she asked, "You would help a man who callously and maliciously Marked me as his mate against my will?

"Yes, but only because I believe that his insanity caused him to do so."

"That does not excuse a man from his crimes." Her eyes narrowed. She hated it when people absolved guilt from the guilty based on their mental status.

"No, no, please, I am not excusing him from anything. His acts were atrocious but he is paying for them now, in Azkaban as he will continue to do so for the rest of his life."

"Yes, the trial was swift and just," she added sullenly.

"You would want to see him continue to suffer from his Lycanthropy when I can cure him?" Severus asked, his brow pulled together in concern.

"Can you?" she demanded.

"Well, not yet," Severus clarified, "but that is what I am working toward."

"Only for Remus?" she asked surprised.

"Remus is the focus of my work and… he is also my test subject. But it is my anticipation, my hope, that through this work I will be able to rid the world of current Lycanthropes and create vaccinations to prevent all future such maladies."

"Severus," she said incredulously, "that's amazing!" She was impressed, her wonder and admiration coloring her voice.

"You haven't answered my question. Would you prefer that Remus continue to suffer with his condition?" Severus pressed, with apparent great interest in her response.

"No, Severus, not at all. I don't want anyone to suffer from that pain, but especially not Remus. I did love him, once. Though, it seems like a lifetime ago now but I still hold hope that the gentle and docile Remus that we all came to know and love is still in there, somewhere. Although, I fear that he may be trapped by the werewolf. At the end there, he definitely seemed more werewolf than man."

"He is still in there, but the wolf, Mooney, takes over more and more often. Occasionally, I see glimpses of Remus from within the madness and he is morose and repentant. Mooney is not.

"Most importantly," Severus continued, "Remus, the man, wants the cure. He has urgently asked for my help on his behalf to rid him of his condition. He struggles with Mooney over this and it appears that Mooney is taking over Remus' mind more and more lately."

"You do know, Severus, that Mooney is part of his mental illness, a dual personality of sorts. It is not a magical condition," Hermione clarified, unwilling to allow _magic_ to be used as an excuse for a common mental illness.

"That is what I have been told," Severus agreed. "If I am able to rid him of his Lycanthropy, it may contribute positively to his mental status but it is not a cure for his madness."

"That is something that he must slowly work on for the rest of his life."

"Yes, although Azkaban is known to create madness, not cure it. It is in the world's best interest for Remus' story to continue to make the front pages of the newspapers. People's memories are fleeting and they will soon forget the importance of this work. If that happens, Azkaban will relinquish my access to Remus and hence, my work will cease."

They both were silent at Severus' sobering observation. "You're work must continue… and not only for Remus. This is revolutionary research that will change our world forever. We will no longer have to live in fear. You will not only put an end to Lycanthropes, but you will also end Lycanthropic discrimination and the personal shame and torment associated with it," Hermione shared excitedly.

"There are people who are condemning this line of work. Some don't want a cure."

"You are giving us a choice whereas before we had none. You are an amazing man, Severus Snape. To work with a man who tried to enslave me and tried to turn you into a beast. You are selfless and forgiving." Hermione beamed with pride as she held his strong hands in hers. "I will be by your side, supporting you. I will be Remus' champion, spearheading the movement in support of a cure for Lycanthropy. Together, we will keep this headline news."

They sat together in a comfortable silence, both relieved to have had this discussion. Hermione turned to Severus, recalling how their discussion began, "Why was Dumbledore twinkling at you?"

He stared at her, excitement just on the surface of his eyes. "Because I shared something very personal with him and he was very pleased."

"Personal?" she asked, her brow furrowed as his secretive nature returned. "Are you not going to tell me?"

"Yes," he responded tersely.

She looked on expectantly, waiting for him to share his secret. When he did not respond quickly enough she prompted, "Well?"

"I am not ready yet. But soon, my love, I promise."

"Does it have anything to do with Remus and the cure?" she asked eagerly.

"God, no," he disagreed exasperatedly.

"Have you accepted an offer to become Headmaster?" she asked anxiously.

"Where do you get these ideas from, witch?" he retorted, his agitation with her increased exponentially with each question. Regardless, she wanted to know what personal secret he was keeping from her and she was determined to continue until she broke his resolve.

"Does it involve me?" she asked sheepishly.

"Hermione," he yelled, unable to control his temper much longer. "Why would I share something personal with Dumbledore's portrait about you before speaking with you myself?" he asked brusquely, although not answering her question.

"You're right, Severus. I'm sorry." Quietly, Hermione sat beside him, enveloped in a comfortable embrace, warm in his arms as they welcomed the heat from the fireplace. The quiet was just as warm and comfortable. However, another burning desire was eating her alive and she tried to temper it, stomp it out but she could not control her smoldering curiosity. Frustrated, she burst with a final question, "Well, then what is it about?"

"I said I will tell you later, witch! Now, come to bed with me."

"No!" she demanded tempestuously. "I want to know now!"

"Must you be so pushy? You are insufferable and petulant!" he complained, huffing as he stormed away into their bedroom.

Haughtily, she caught up with him and shut the door. Standing there with an arrogant smirk on her face, she was unable to conceal her mirth.

"Yes, yes, I know," she agreed as she sauntered up to him, unwilling to let him escape and not answer her question. "You tell me every other day how my insolence is not attractive. Now, tell me," she demanded and said the next words clearly, "What is it?"

"Must you torment me?" he asked wearily.

"Every single day, Severus," she responded assuredly. "Every single day."

"Then I must be out of my mind," he moaned, more to himself than to her.

"Out of your mind, why?" she asked curiously.

"To do this," he said simply as he turned to face her and extended his hands, palms up, toward her. She approached him slowly, apprehensively. Searching his eyes for a clue and finding none. Reaching him, she looked into his outstretched hands and there she found, nestled in his palms an elegant diamond engagement ring, glistening, catching the dancing flames of the room's torches in its facets.

Tentatively, she looked at him, eyes wide. Alternating between staring at the ring and his eyes, she was embarrassed to make any assumptions. He had not said anything after presenting her the ring. What did he mean? It clearly was an engagement ring, a single solitaire on a platinum band and it appeared to be approximately two carrots in size. But that wasn't the only thing that caught her attention. Sitting there, held protectively in his large palms, she saw a gentle carving engraved into the band of what appeared to be several white lotus flowers, small yet purposeful as they traveled along the band, connected by a single delicate vine. Reflexively, she reached for her throat and grasped the delicate Lotus Flower charm that he had given her for her birthday months before. She had treasured it for its beauty and its meaning. She had found her strength and was reborn into the woman she had been, the woman she was supposed to be.

She stared at the ring. Did she dare hope?

Filled with anticipation and anxiety, she was an amalgam of polarizing emotions. She held her stance, unable to move in light of Severus' continued silence. Butterflies attacked her insides, as unease and tension gripped her. She wanted nothing more than for this to be a declaration of Severus' undying love for her, a final testament to their struggle to find their place in this world and to find a world willing to accept their love for each other. More importantly, to declare to the world their love for one another, despite the great odds against them. She loved this man with everything that she was but… she needed to hear him say the words. After all, she remained a married woman, on the verge of divorce, entangled in the legalities of the magical system, but still married. Divorcing a man sentenced to life in Azkaban should be easy, but she soon learned that it was lengthy and costly.

"Hermione," he said roughly, his voice strained with emotion. "I can understand if it's too soon for you." He closed his hand around the delicate ring, hiding it from her sight and dropped his arms to his sides, in apparent resignation of her answer.

"Severus," she said sternly, sounding maternal to her ears, "you have not asked me anything yet. I cannot give you any answers to which I do not know the question."

Eyes wide with disbelief he stared at her. His eyes narrowed as he became frustrated with her… yet again. But it soon passed as his features softened in apparent understanding, no longer upset by her maternal reproach.

Tense, she was too wrapped up by her own attack of nerves to acknowledge his. But as she began to take control of the situation, she saw that he was worried, that much was certain. With his rigid form and tight frown, he appeared wrapped up tightly as a bundle of frayed nerves.

He was afraid of her answer and she was afraid of his question. What a pair they will make, she mused to herself.

Severus gently pushed her back so that she was sitting on the edge of their bed. Bending on one knee in front of her, he presented the ring again. He cleared his throat nervously and declared honestly, "Hermione, being without you is like being without magic. I would survive without it, but I would not be whole, missing the most vital part of myself. Every day, in everything that you do and say, you make me a better person. I love you and I need you in my life… forever. I hope you know that I will never ever harm you, Hermione. I will gladly spend the rest of my life loving you and protecting you. You are as delicate as a flower yet as resilient as its roots. I am in awe of you, of your passion and dedication to those you love. God knows that you are unpredictable, fiery, impulsive, and insufferable most of the time but I love you, and I need you in my life. You, Hermione," he punctuated, "brighten my world. Please do not leave me in the dark, for I am lost without you." Holding fast to his courage, he continued, "Hermione, will you marry me?"

Overcome with happiness, the tears flowed easily down her face. Nervously, she reached out and grabbed his hands in her own shaking grip. She opened her mouth to speak, but her throat was tight. Instead, she whispered, "Yes."

Relaxed by her declaration, her simple response was the aperture that ruptured his tightly wrapped tension. His body responded as he breathed out a deep breath, anticipation trapped in his lungs. Vaulting himself off from the floor, he lifted her, spun her around, and laughed with delight. Joining him in his merriment, she held onto him and peppered his face with kisses and she cried out into the spinning room, "I love you!"

Dizzy, from either the spinning motion or her euphoric response, or a combination thereof, Hermione held onto her head, attempting to control the motions in her head, as Severus gently returned her to their bed.

A rare look of pure joy colored his features as he stared on lovingly, with admiration and wonder. It was an amalgam of joyful emotions that framed his eyes, touched his lips, and kissed his cheeks. Even in the highest of spirits, she had never seen Severus so contented, filled with delight, a youthful happiness she was not certain he had ever experienced before, even in his youth.

_Fulfilled_, a simple, yet complex word that completely described who she was and what she was feeling in that one important moment. It was a feeling of belonging, of being in the arms of the man she loved and desired, beyond all reason. She reveled in his joy and she delighted in his happiness. Determined, she vowed to make his every day special, so that he would know that she loved him for an eternity, not just for today.

His beautiful words gripped her and filled her with delight, beyond comprehension. It must have been difficult to formulate a few sentences designed to sum up such vast and powerful feelings. She knew, although she had never declared her love for him so succinctly… so completely, she would have trouble doing exactly what Severus had done. Somehow, it was not fair. She needed to do the same… for him.

"Severus," she said as they held each other, "I need to tell you something."

His face responded, doubt creeping back into his heart. She stammered, wanting to find the right words quickly enough so that he would know that there was no need to feel crestfallen. "I… Severus… I think you must know how I feel about you, but please listen, I need to share it with you."

Warmth returned to his features as he responded to hers. Nervous, yet full of love and passion, she was concerned only because she wanted to ensure that her words were beautiful, worthy of him and the worthy of this moment.

Her face contorted, as powerful and passionate emotions welled in her. Forcing down her tears, she forged forward, knowing that he was waiting. Her voice was so tight that she feared even a whisper would not escape. She mumbled, "Severus, my words and voice are failing me but you need to know. I love you. Somehow, though, those powerful three tiny words don't convey the depths of my passion for you. You are more to me than a lover, you are my friend, my protector, my…" and she shed tears, her words opening the gates to her emotions, no longer able to keep them at bay. "You are my air, my sky, the stars, and my ground. Without you, I would be lost, unable to find my way. My professional work would not matter, if I didn't have you. You make it all worthwhile. I can be free with you, to say and do what feels right, instead of what I should." Her voice found its conviction as she pressed to the finish line. "With you, I don't go through the motions of life, I _live_ my life, fully and completely."

Her body quivered, reacting to the emotions boiling up within her, "Do you, Severus Snape, accept me as your wife, with all of my flaws and with everything that I am?"

In that single moment, time stood still. Severus' youthful joy somehow turned happier, as if that were even possible. It was difficult to decipher the change around her, but she was at its focus. Somehow, that confused her. Severus was the focus of her transformation… of her joy. Had he missed what she was trying to say?

He must have seen the change, the concern in her features because he crouched before her, as he had before, and stared into her tear-filled eyes, his love radiating from every pore in his body. Her face felt flush, not from embarrassment or even passion, but from the depths of her emotions, their power overwhelming her.

"Hermione, I most definitely accept your hand in marriage. Having you makes me the luckiest wizard in the world. Now," he interjected their serious conversation with levity, "would you do me the honor of making love with me. IT needs you."

She sputtered, surprised at the change in tone, yet confused with the turn of the conversation. Happily, she was willing to allow the serious discussion to end, wrapped as it was around them, comfortably, like a warm blanket. "It?" she asked, not understanding.

"No, not it… IT," he enunciated the word clearly, "Not it, the pronoun. IT, the noun."

Giggling, she asked, "It is a person, place or thing?"

Playfully, he slowly, teasingly, lifted himself up off the floor and stood in front of her, while she remained seated. He leaned his clothed hips forward, erotically, and presented her with IT. Her eyes now level with his clothed groin. Only his playful nature gave her a hint into the mysterious identity surrounding IT. Severus reached out and grabbed her hand and brought it to his growing erection, pressing her delicate hand against his trousers, rubbing him sensuously and letting her know, in no uncertain terms, who IT was. Her giggling continued, although now it attacked her completely, adding the occasional snort, as her eyes widened in surprise, now understanding. Although, she hoped that he would not do formal introductions! She would not be able to maintain a polite giggle, as it would transform into a hearty guffaw, and possibly pee in her knickers. Snorting and peeing are not very lady like, no matter how much he professed to love her.

"Is this IT, Severus?" she asked seductively, as she massaged him through his trousers.

"Oh, yes," he moaned in appreciation.

Biting her lower lip in anticipation, she added, "I've met him before, but," she pouted, feigning annoyance, "why haven't you introduced us?" She licked her lips as she asked the question she had initially wanted to avoid. Apparently, in the heat of passion, even formal introductions can be intensely exciting.

Under her hand, he was responding to her playful seduction, growing, filling with his need and want. His hardness, large and inviting, filled her hand, creating an intense desire in her, fierce and demanding. Need filled her, tugging at her belly and readying her body for him. Moisture spread and her clitoris throbbed. She needed him. Instinctually, she tugged at his trousers, incessantly, eagerly wanting access to Severus' IT. Adding her efforts, equally eager, he freed IT from its confines and presented it to her, gloriously, filled with his desire.

Moisture filled her mouth as it literally watered for the object of her desire. Slowly and flirtatiously, she looked up into Severus' smoldering eyes, dark with anticipation, and she leaned forward, her face a near fraction away from his desire and she breathed in deeply, taking in his musk, absorbing his scent into her very being. Maintaining his gaze, she engulfed his penis – IT – into her mouth. Relishing the soft silky feel of his hardness, she sucked and moved her mouth over its length. Ardently, he grabbed her hair, leveraging his motions, taking control. Pushing and pulling, adding to her unrelenting desire.

Daringly, as she became more intimately involved with IT, she scraped IT with her teeth, a smooth brushing motion along its length. Severus screamed, passion ripping his resolve, roaring, "Please!" his pleas a contradiction of his passionate cry. Did he want her to stop or to continue?

Just as abruptly as she thought it, he pulled away, a frustrated scowl on his face. But she knew that scowl well, from teasing him incessantly. He was at his pinnacle, completely turned on and he would climax before long. In a gesture that was so very him, he scrubbed his face vigorously with his hands in an attempt to clear his mind. He apparently, wanted the night to last. Good. She loved eating him, but having him inside her was much too pleasurable to do without.

In control, he gave her that look, his predatory stare that send shivers up her spine and practically curled her toes. She was his. It was much too exciting. Although mere feet away, he was stalking her, hunting her. In silent pursuit, he moved closer, teasingly slow, maddening her with desire. Unhurriedly, he peeled off his clothes, as he appeared to have all the time in the world. She wanted him and she wanted him now. She mimicked his actions, and soon she was naked, ready for him. Her predator waited until she was ready and once she was free of her clothing, he pounced, pressing her body into the mattress, holding her arms above her head, a willing captive. His strong body flexed above hers as he held her down, the force of his weight enough to hold her still, her desire enough to keep her lying in wait, eager for more.

Licking her lips, her tongue darted out and tasted his, both meeting the other. His firm tongue pleasured hers, as he kissed her, passionately, ardently taking from her what he needed while also giving her tremendous pleasure. His tongue snacked along her body, slowly, tasting her. Delighting in his feast, Severus was hungry, as if passion left a void in his belly that he needed to fill with _her_. Sex with Severus always became a feast, and she was all too happy to be his entrée.

Licking her, he delved into his feast, sucking and drinking all she had to offer. Much too soon, her body quaked, her legs trembling from the force of her climax. Yet he persisted and she cried out in a glorious pain, oversensitive from his attentions. It was all she could do to speak, but she forced her need to be heard, "Severus, please, fill me," she groaned forcefully.

Before he answered her, he climbed on top of her still trembling body and entered her, his heated shaft parting her and filling her completely. Moaning in delight, Hermione bit her lip as her passion consumed her. Severus claimed her body as his own, doing with it what he willed. And she was his, willingly and completely. Of her own free will, she gave herself to him, not mated, but a connection even more powerful, for she willingly gave herself to him. She allowed him to consume her, to possess her body, mind, and spirit. And he was hers, and she claimed him equally, passionately and as often as possible. Delving into their passion was intoxicating, a magic beyond magic, beyond marriage or proprietary. Making love was completeness.

Her body rocked, sweetly, leisurely, as he claimed her body, slowly pumping into her. Severus' glorious sweat dripped from his body, landing on her, delighting her in their passions. He was gentle and rough, dominant and giving. His shaft penetrated her, completing her, giving her pleasure. Smashing purposefully onto her clitoris with his every penetration, his down strokes pressing her, stimulating her, rocking her body and mind. Lifting his body slightly, he angled his thrusts, jerking into her, harder, insistent, taking from her as much as he was giving. His heated tongue wrapped around a nipple as he sucked her into his mouth, a wet heat engulfed her breast as he sucked and nibbled, in timing with his gloriously strong piercing strokes, again and again, into her own wet heat.

Unable to control her escalating desire, she soared as he pressed her powerfully into the mattress, pumping into her, their wet bodies slapping against each other, relentlessly. Deviously, he lifted her body slightly and snaked a hand under her. He continued to pound into her, forcing her body to rock against him, her body gloriously commandeered by his passions. Lucent for just a moment, she saw a sneaky look cross his face as his eyes squinted and he pursed his lips seductively. She did not have long to find out his intentions, as with every rocking motion of her body, as he pulled out, his finger penetrated her arse. Again and again, he filled her, either with IT or with his finger. The welcoming sensations broke her resolve and she came, hard, her body shuttering with the force of her release. Above her Severus grunted, pounding into her, relentlessly until he too came, jutting his release into her quivering body. Slowly, he eased his assault, kissing her, claiming her mouth with his own even as their bodies relaxed.

Sated, they caressed each other, holding fast to their physical love as their hearts slowed and their bodies parted. Hermione felt bereft without him inside her, pumping into her, claiming her, but she was satisfied, replete with contentment yet looking forward to their next sexual encounter when their bodies would become one again. It was only then that she felt whole, completely possessed by his passions.

Hermione then realized that she had come full circle. She had started her journey wanting… no, needing, her independence all the while desiring a man to possess her, to claim her mind, body and soul. She was a walking contradiction and she knew it, a poster child for how not to be a feminist. For a while, she feared that she could have only one or the other, maybe even neither as Remus worked to claim her completely, against her will. However, now she had everything she had ever wanted, her independence, her fiery nature and a man who accepted all of her, regardless of her faults. And also, a man who can claim her, take her body and make it his, give her complete desire and take it, demand it, but give her so much more in return. She was very happy. Fairy tales probably did come true. She had her own Happily Ever After.

"Severus," she said haughtily, "is IT happy now?"

Laying on the bed, arms over his head, he cracked open one eye, taking a peak at his fiancée and he smiled, "Oh, yes. IT is very happy now and IT thanks you."

"I'm glad," she teased. "I am so happy that you told me about him, I mean IT. I think I'll add him to our love story."

Curiously, he sat up, wanting to ask more about her writing endeavors. "And just what are you planning on naming this love story of ours?" he asked suspiciously. He probably imagined some crazy title like _IT lives_ or something along those lines.

"Actually," she responded enthusiastically, "I am planning a series of books. After all, our story cannot be told in one simple tale. I think I will name our first book _Sex Therapy in the Dungeons_. Isn't that quite apropos considering that is where it all started?"

When he didn't answer, she turned to him and saw his shocked look, eyes wide and mouth agape. "Now, now, Severus. Don't worry, you are the hero in this story, my love interest and everyone will love you."

"Everyone will also know that I had erectile dysfunction," he said soberly.

"Well, yes. But there is no getting around that. Look at it this way, everyone will also know how you overcame it and became my love slave," she wiggled her eyebrows seductively.

"I become your love slave?" he asked incredulously. "I think I can live with that."

"I'm glad because I have already written that story and am working on the next one. Good night my love," she said happily, turning on her side, preparing to go to sleep.

As she was falling asleep, she smiled to herself as she heard Severus say to himself, "Love slave, I think I like that very much."

The End

**Sex Therapy in the Dungeons (2006)**

**and**

**Marriage Therapy (2008)**

**Written by Hermione Snape nee Granger**

**With loving support from her husband, Severus Snape**

**A/N: WHEW! It's done! THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for the wonderful reception you've given this story! After all the angst I've put you through with this story, I figured my characters and YOU deserved a happy ending. I hope you liked it. Love You! **

**Much thanks to Helen for the beta and fabulous brianstorming sessions! Your ideas were invaluable.  
Specifically to Jennifer: Thank you for your excitement over each and every chapter. You make me feel special. ~Ruthie**


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